What we have done
In February and March 2023 we:
- consulted on the scope of the Leeds Local Plan 2040
- held initial events to raise awareness of the plan
-
launched a call for sites
- commissioned a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) from ARC 4 consultants to provide evidence on housing needs across Leeds
Over the rest of 2023 we:
- undertook detailed analysis of the comments received through the scoping consultation
- progressed work on the SHMA, including launching a household survey
- scoped out the requirements for various elements of evidence that will be needed to underpin the plan
- established a methodology for the urban capacity study, which will help us understand how much development could potentially take place within the urban area and used this to identify sites in the urban area that could potentially be developed
- developed a Site Assessment Methodology, that can be used to assess all potential sites on a consistent basis, and began using this to assess sites
- closed the call for sites (30 June)
So far, in 2024 we have:
-
published a map showing all of the sites submitted through the Call for Sites
- established a methodology for a green belt review, to consider how different parts of the green belt meet the ‘five purposes’ of the green belt set out in national planning policy
- finalised the SHMA, which provides evidence on housing needs across Leeds
- continued to develop and refine evidence and consider options for the plan
What we are doing now
In July 2024 the Government published a revised National Planning Policy Framework for consultation, This proposes significant changes to national planning policy that will have a bearing on Leeds Local Plan 2040, including the amount of housing require and the approach to the Green Belt. In light of this, it is proposed that the next consultation on Leeds Local Plan 2024 (which had been planned before the end of 2024) will now take place in early 2025, pending finalisation of the NPPF. See Development Plan Panel papers for further details.
Over the next few months we will be:
- continuing to engage with stakeholders and those with an interest in the plan
- developing and refining our evidence on the needs for land for housing development, employment development, minerals extraction, waste processing and other uses
- considering the options for the overall spatial strategy of the plan and for each of the topics that the plan will address
- continuing detailed assessments of all sites that may hold potential for future development (including those identified through the urban capacity study, call for sites, existing allocations and planning approvals)
- continuing to undertake a review of the green belt in Leeds
- completing the assessment all the sites submitted through call for sites or identified through the urban capacity study
- analysing new evidence developed and use it, along with the comments received through the scoping consultation, to develop options for new policies
- considering the infrastructure required to support different growth and policy options
- having initial discussions with key stakeholders about the emerging evidence and potential options
- taking into account changes to national planning policy and ensuring that these are reflected in the evidence base for the plan and the policy options being considered
What we will do next
During early 2025 we will:
- prepare material to consult and engage on options for growth, sites and planning policies
- consult formally on options for growth, sites and planning policies
- hold community events to explain what our evidence is telling us about localities, what potential alternative planning strategies may look like for different places and listen to local views and opinions
