Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed the Human Geography and Planning students from Leeds Beckett University who were in attendance to view the Panel meeting.

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 late items.

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.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R Finnigan.

To receive and consider the attached minutes of the previous meeting held on the 17^th of September 2024.

RESOLVED- That the minutes of the Development Plan Panel meeting held on the 17^th of September 2024 be approved as an accurate record.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer provides a progress update for Leeds Local Plan 2040 (LLP2040).  LLP2040 will update planning policies relating to the overall strategy for development across Leeds up to 2040, including the amount, type and location of housing, economic, minerals and waste development needed; the approach to the City Centre and local centres; transport and connectivity; and as part of a ‘Plan-led’ system, as well as setting standards and criteria against which planning applications can be assessed.  This paper provides an update on the work undertaken so far for each of the topic areas as well as the next steps leading up to consultation on the ‘issues’ and ‘options’ for the Plan.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer provided a progress update for Leeds Local Plan 2040 (LLP2040). LLP2040 was to update planning policies relating to the overall strategy for development across Leeds up to 2040, including the amount, type and location of housing, economic, minerals and waste development needed; the approach to the City Centre and local centres; transport and connectivity; and as part of a ‘Plan-led’ system, as well as setting standards and criteria against which planning applications can be assessed. The paper provided an update on the work undertaken so far for each of the topic areas as well as the next steps leading up to consultation on the ‘issues’ and ‘options’ for the Plan.

The Head of Strategic Planning, presented the report, providing Members with the following information:

·  LLP2040, alongside Leeds Local Plan Update, Your Neighbourhood, Your City, Your Planet (LPU1), comprised the two emerging planning policy documents being prepared by the Council. The report provided Members with an update of the progress, emerging themes and evidence base for the proposed policy suite specific to LLP2040.

·  The evidence base needed to be robust in order for policy to be developed against it, which was the core basis for examination by the Planning Inspectorate. The ability of the Council to build upon the evidence base had changed, with new digital technology which would inform future consultation material and any policy modifications.

·  Considerations of key concerns raised by the public and the development industry during the previous consultation were to be addressed where appropriate.

·  The next round of consultation was anticipated to run from Spring 2025 which was to cover draft policy options for all areas.

·  Paragraph 8 of the report outlined the impact changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) had and clarified where considerations were being made.

·  Paragraph 9 noted key drivers for economic growth which aligned with the Government’s growth plans to improve living standards.

·  Paragraph 12 set the direction for the draft elements of vision, priorities and objectives of LLP2040. 

·  Paragraph 14 covered urban intensification and development on previously developed land, noting greater drive was needed for density and delivery outcomes, which was to be actioned via design and placemaking policies.

·  There had been public concern that not all suitable brownfield land supply had been identified in advance of green belt land release proposals, however, a thorough Urban Capacity Study had provided evidence that there were not many derelict or vacant sites that the Council did not already know about through planning permissions or existing allocations, as detailed at paragraph 16.

·  The identified brownfield sites would still leave a shortfall in terms of housing and development targets and some green belt may still need to be released, however, some windfall brownfield sites would be forthcoming.

·  Paragraphs 21 to 26 outlined the approach to infrastructure, which was a key consideration for LLP2040, including alignment to transport plans and the Connecting Leeds Strategy, with awareness to West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) mass transit plans.

·  Paragraphs 27  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

To note the date and time of the next meeting as the 28^th of January 2025 at 1:30pm.

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting the 28th of January 2025 at 1:30pm.