Agenda and minutes

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

There were no appeals

There were no exempt items

There were no formal late items but supplementary information had been submitted in regard to Agenda Item 7 Local Plan Update 1 (Publication Draft)

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

Members did not declare any interests at the meeting

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Finnigan

RESOLVED- That the minutes of the Development Plan Panel meeting held on 12th July 2022, be approved as an accurate record

To consider the report of the Chief Planning Officer requesting endorsement of the Local Plan Update 1 Publication Draft policies and a recommendation to Executive Board to grant approval to undertake public consultation on the Publication Draft, as well as accompanying consultation documentation.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer requested endorsement of the Local Plan Update 1 Publication Draft policies and a recommendation to Executive Board to grant approval to undertake public consultation on the Publication Draft, accompanied by a consultation documentation.

The Head of Strategic Planning gave a background overview of the report, outlining the workshop and consultation process prior to Local Plan Update 1, the role of planning in the aim to achieve net zero carbon and why the proposed policy changes were considered necessary due to the climate emergency, improvement in green and blue infrastructure, flood risk alleviation and placemaking within Leeds.

The Group Manager for Policy and Plans introduced the report. Members were informed that the effects of the update would amend the Leeds Core Strategy. It was also noted how the amendment to policy EN2 regarding operational carbon would not apply to all planning applications, for example, change of use, energy use intensity and space heating demand targets will be introduced. New policies would focus on raising sustainability standards of housing and requiring Home Quality Mark 4 for residential developments and BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ for non-residential.

An update on renewable energy mapping was presented to show strategic opportunities areas for wind and solar power provision, a new approach to flood risk was outlined, taking greater consideration to future risk, with a focus on the improvement of the quality of greenspaces and biodiversity as well as increased carbon storage.

A Team Leader from City Development Planning presented the revised proposed policies relating to achieving twenty-minute neighbourhoods in Leeds. Mott McDonald had been commissioned to identify where amenities were easily accessible and areas where provision was not adequate; a scoring system for accessible amenities was outlined which would allow a sound approach to identify where there are gaps in provision. An online smart survey had been conducted regarding the willingness of the citizens of Leeds to travel for a variety of amenities and had received 730 complete responses. An update was provided on the minor amendment to the Sustainability Appraisal Report which outlined what can be considered reasonable and unreasonable to be dealt with via the planning process. A non-technical summary of the report will be included for the Executive Board agenda. It was noted that, the viability of the Local Plan Update may be subject to scrutiny depending on the scenario of different planning applications but it was believed the viability at a strategic level will be achieved and applications would cover all or some of the bases of the proposed policies and judged on individual merits. Members attention was also drawn to legal documents around Habitat Regulations and Strategic Duty to Cooperate issues which will form a part of the consultation as well as a report on the consultation carried out last year at an earlier stage of preparation. 

Members discussed the following key matters:

·  As it is quite common for public objection to large planning applications to cover how development overwhelms local amenities and services, how would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 1^st of November at 1:30pm

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday, 1^st November 2022 at 1:30pm.

 (The meeting concluded at 15.28)