Member Article

70k homes by 2028 promises ambitious Leeds City Council

The council’s “masterplan” for future growth of the city is moving into the final phase as council chiefs are asked to approve changes recommended by the inquiry inspector.

A key element of the strategy is providing 70,000 new homes in the city by 2028 which received backing from the inspector, along with suggested housing distribution across the city.

The Core Strategy will guide all development in the city over the next 15 years.

Earlier this month the council welcomed the planning inspector’s comments to its Core Strategy with many of the main components of the plan left unchanged.

The plan also has a strong focus on concentrating building on brownfield sites in order to promote regeneration and protect the greenbelt and the inspector endorsed the council’s policies on where development should take place, including the split between brownfield and greenfield land.

One change suggested by the inspector is to remove the step up in the number of houses to be provided over the life of the plan (15 years).

This has implications for the supply of housing land in the short-term which the council “will need to consider.”

Leeds City Council’s executive member for neighbourhoods, planning and support services Councillor Peter Gruen, said: “We’ve reached an important stage in the process and feel confident and encouraged by the inspector’s comments, which show that we’re on the right track with many key elements of the plan unchanged.

“It’s vital that we get the strategy right as once finalised it will be the key guide to all development and growth in Leeds for the next 15 years.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .