Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of City Development providing an update on the progress made in relation to Leeds’ Local Development Framework Core Strategy and to highlight the next steps in the process.

Further to Minute No. 9, 2^nd September 2008, the Director of City Development submitted a report which provided an update on several key work streams which were required to be undertaken as part of the process to develop Leeds’ Local Development Framework Core Strategy – ‘Towards Preferred Options’ document.

In considering the report, the Panel received information on, and discussed several of those key work streams which had been highlighted. The main points raised were as follows:-

 ‘Towards Preferred Options - Draft Structure’

• Members noted the structure of the ‘Towards Preferred Options’ document which included a series of chapter headings based around a number of core themes, with further sections on the ‘Delivery Plan’, ‘Implementation’, and also potentially on ‘Area Spatial Policies’;
• The need for the current draft structure to be refined and adjusted as further technical work was undertaken;

• Members discussed the timescales in place for the required consultation and approval processes regarding the ‘Towards Preferred Options’ document.

Green Infrastructure

Members noted the following:-

• The greater significance that the issue of Green Infrastructure had gained in the planning process over recent years;
• The distinctive nature of the Leeds district and the need for the Core Strategy to embrace this;
• The need for the issue of Green Infrastructure to be considered from both a local and from a wider, more strategic perspective, which would require a co-ordinated approach to be taken by the neighbouring authorities throughout the Leeds City Region.

Members discussed the following:-

• The Panel highlighted the importance of adequate public transport provision and the need for all public rights of way to be mapped in order to improve access to the network of green spaces across the district. The Panel also highlighted the role which could be played by local Parish and Town Councils and the Public Rights of Way Forum in providing information on those rights of way which were no longer accessible;
• Members underlined the need for a co-ordinated approach to be taken with neighbouring authorities in this field;
• The importance of voluntary sector involvement in any consultation processes;
• The need for issues and developments relating to Green Infrastructure to be considered more formally by Plans Panels;
• Emphasis was placed upon the need for new developments to be sustainable.

Scenario Quantification

·  The Panel noted that the 3 scenarios identified by the Issues and Alternative Options consultation process were, ‘The Compact City’, ‘Dispersed Development’ and ‘New Urban Neighbourhoods’, and that a process was now being undertaken to quantify such scenarios in terms of quantity of land required for employment and housing. Members were advised that the Employment Land Review had suggested that 390ha of land was required for non-office employment, with the quantity of housing required, as set by the Regional Spatial Strategy being 4300 dwellings (net) per annum.

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)

·  Members noted that the SHLAA was a technical exercise which was required to be undertaken to identify potential future land for housing development, that a “call for sites” had been issued in September resulting in the Council identifying 400 sites with a further 170 being submitted by developers;

·  The Panel was advised that a partnership comprising a mix of interests had been established to ratify the methodology for undertaking the SHLAA and appraise the Council’s conclusions on the sustainability, availability and achievability of the identified sites;

• Having received further information on the SHLAA process and the role, status and composition of the partnership, the Panel discussed the need for further Elected Member representation on the partnership, in order to ensure that a broader range of interests were represented upon it;
• The Panel discussed the timescales involved in the SHLAA process and noted that the conclusions from the initial stages of the process would be submitted to Members in due course;
• Members made enquiries into the actions being taken to attempt to meet the housing provision targets which had been set by the Regional Spatial Strategy and whether such targets were achievable;
• The Panel briefly discussed the extent to which the Council could encourage growth within Leeds’ housing market during the current economic downturn.

Following the discussion it was formally moved by Councillor Gruen and seconded by Councillor Hanley

That Development Plan Panel recommends to the Executive Member for Development and Regeneration that the number of representatives of Development Plan Panel appointed to the SHLAA partnership be increased from one to three.

Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried and it was

RESOLVED –

(a). That the contents of the report be noted;

(b). That Development Plan Panel recommends to the Executive Member for Development and Regeneration that the number of representatives of Development Plan Panel appointed to the SHLAA partnership be increased from one to three.

(Councillors Gruen and Harker arrived at 1.50 p.m. and 1.57 p.m. respectively, during the consideration of this item. Councillor Harker left the meeting at 3.27 p.m. at the conclusion of this item)