Agenda item

This Council reaffirms its opposition to a developer led approach to planning policy.

This Council believes that a brown field first approach to development is the right one and further believes that new housing should be prioritised in regeneration areas and areas where there is clear unmet housing need.

This Council calls on the administration to act on the following issues:

·  Evidence a robust 5 year land supply in Leeds

·  Note and implement the recent planning guidance ‘Making the planning system work more efficiently and effectively’ regarding infrastructure constraints when assessing site suitability

·  Further note the planning guidance with regard to brownfield land, developer profits and previous developer records on unimplemented planning permissions

·  Take action to ensure that housing is not delivered in areas of flood risk

·  Commit to continuing protection of the Greenbelt in Leeds

·  Take note of recent ministerial advice that suggests that phasing of new housing development is not centrally prescribed by Government

This Council believes that housing numbers should not be seen in isolation as simply a positive for growth and a mechanism to address unmet need. These are important, but due consideration has to be given to infrastructure. Otherwise, in Leeds, this will likely result in over-subscribed schools, massively congested roads and key services stretched to breaking point.

This Council believes that new housing should be genuinely sustainable and this means delivering the infrastructure to support it before it is built.

Prior to discussion on this matter Councillor A Carter reported that this would be the last ordinary meeting of Council chaired by the current Lord mayor and thanked him for his efforts throughout the current Municipal Year.

Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 14.9(a), leave of Council was given to alter the wording of the motion in the name of Councillor Andrew Carter to subsume the amendment in the name of Councillor Cleasby.

Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 13.2(d) and 14.10 and with the consent of the seconder, leave of Council was given to Councillor Cleasby to withdraw the amendment in his name.

It was moved by Councillor A Carter, seconded by Councillor Campbell that this Council reaffirms its opposition to a developer led approach to planning policy.

This Council believes that a brown field first approach to development is the right one and further believes that new housing should be prioritised in regeneration areas and areas where there is clear unmet housing need.

This Council calls on the administration to act on the following issues:

·  Evidence a robust 5 year land supply in Leeds

·  Note and implement the recent planning guidance ‘Making the planning system work more efficiently and effectively’ regarding infrastructure constraints when assessing site suitability

·  Further note the planning guidance with regard to brownfield land, developer profits and previous developer records on unimplemented planning permissions

·  Take action to ensure that housing is not delivered in areas of flood risk

·  Commit to continuing protection of the Greenbelt in Leeds

·  Take note of recent ministerial advice that suggests that phasing of new housing development is not centrally prescribed by Government

·  Affirm its commitment to neighbourhood planning and allocate adequate resources to help residents to speedily produce and adopt plans for their communities

This Council believes that housing numbers should not be seen in isolation as simply a positive for growth and a mechanism to address unmet need. These are important, but due consideration has to be given to infrastructure. Otherwise, in Leeds, this will likely result in over-subscribed schools, massively congested roads and key services stretched to breaking point.

This Council believes that new housing should be genuinely sustainable and this means delivering the infrastructure to support it before it is built.

An amendment was moved by Councillor P Gruen, seconded by Councillor J McKenna

This Council reaffirms its opposition to a developer led approach to planning policy.

Deleted all after and replace with:

This Council reiterates its belief that a brown field first approach to development is the right one and further believes that new housing should be prioritised in regeneration areas and areas where there is clear unmet housing need.

This Council believes that whilst communities accept the need for new housing they also believe this should be affordable housing in the right places. This is indicated in the policy agreed by Council at its meeting on 15 January 2014, including a clear brownfield first policy which prioritises the use of previously developed land wherever possible, whilst at the same time committing to continuous protection of the Green Belt.

This is in strong contrast to Central Government’s National Planning Policy Framework which in reality puts a 5 year land supply before all other interests. Council also recognises the general climate of extreme financial pressures being placed on local authorities by Central Government including the inadequacy of the new CIL/S106 framework to meet the essential community requirements arising from new developments.

This Council will continue to champion a democratic and sustainable approach in our Core Strategy. Such an approach will be based on these principles:

1. That new development must be supported by the early implementation of infrastructure necessary to sustain the local community.
2. Developers indicating their willingness to build sustainable new housing in Leeds by building on sites with existing planning permission.
3. The implementation of the Council’s brownfield land strategy (February 2014)
4. Consideration be given to developers’ previous delivery records and developer profit as per recent national guidance.
5. National government looking again at the impact of the requirements for the 5 year land supply, including whether this leads to a lack of local democratic control in planning decision making, especially on the retention of greenfield and Green Belt land.

Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, local MPs, local town and parish councils and Neighbourhood Planning Forums to indicate its desire for genuine partnership in housing and infrastructure growth.

The amendment in the name of Councillor P Gruen was carried and upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED – This Council reaffirms its opposition to a developer led approach to planning policy.

This Council reiterates its belief that a brown field first approach to development is the right one and further believes that new housing should be prioritised in regeneration areas and areas where there is clear unmet housing need.

This Council believes that whilst communities accept the need for new housing they also believe this should be affordable housing in the right places. This is indicated in the policy agreed by Council at its meeting on 15 January 2014, including a clear brownfield first policy which prioritises the use of previously developed land wherever possible, whilst at the same time committing to continuous protection of the Green Belt.

This is in strong contrast to Central Government’s National Planning Policy Framework which in reality puts a 5 year land supply before all other interests. Council also recognises the general climate of extreme financial pressures being placed on local authorities by Central Government including the inadequacy of the new CIL/S106 framework to meet the essential community requirements arising from new developments.

This Council will continue to champion a democratic and sustainable approach in our Core Strategy. Such an approach will be based on these principles:

1. That new development must be supported by the early implementation of infrastructure necessary to sustain the local community.
2. Developers indicating their willingness to build sustainable new housing in Leeds by building on sites with existing planning permission.
3. The implementation of the Council’s brownfield land strategy (February 2014)
4. Consideration be given to developers’ previous delivery records and developer profit as per recent national guidance.
5. National government looking again at the impact of the requirements for the 5 year land supply, including whether this leads to a lack of local democratic control in planning decision making, especially on the retention of greenfield and Green Belt land.

Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, local MPs, local town and parish councils and Neighbourhood Planning Forums to indicate its desire for genuine partnership in housing and infrastructure growth.