Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of City Development presenting the  proposed response to the informal consultation on the 2009 Update to the Yorkshire & Humber Plan and recommending that the Panel refers the response to Executive Board for approval and submission to the Yorkshire & Humber Regional Assembly by the 30^th January 2009 deadline.

A report was submitted by the Director of City Development presenting a proposed response to the informal consultation exercise which was being undertaken on the 2009 Update of the Yorkshire and Humber Plan.

In considering the report the Panel was invited to recommend the draft response to Executive Board for approval and submission to the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly by the 30^th January 2009 deadline.

Following the adoption of the Regional Spatial Strategy (Yorkshire and Humber Plan) in May 2008, the Panel noted that whilst there had been support for the Plan’s commitment to regeneration, the need for affordable housing, the role of Leeds City Centre and the need for sustainable development, there had also been concerns raised in relation to the scale of the housing growth envisaged for Leeds. The Panel was reminded that such concerns had been reflected in the White Paper Motion entitled, ‘Regional Spatial Strategy’ which was unanimously resolved at the meeting of Council on 19^th November 2008.

Members considered a wide range of issues relating to the proposed response. The key areas of debate were as follows:-

·  The Panel noted that separate to the Council’s response, individual Members could submit their own independent responses to the consultation exercise prior to the deadline;

·  Members emphasised the need to promote the role of the Leeds City Region in terms of regenerating the housing market within Leeds and the surrounding area;

·  The Panel suggested that evidence illustrating the decline in the number of planning applications which had been submitted in Leeds was incorporated into the Council’s final response;

·  In debating a reference within the proposed response which related to a more realistic target being established for housing growth in Leeds, specific concerns were raised in relation to how this proposal would affect the role of the local authority in addressing the problems associated with current levels of housing provision and affordability. Reference was also made to how a revision to the target may be perceived by the public;

·  Members considered the proposed consultation responses relating to gypsies, travellers and travelling show people and raised concerns about the phrasing of the response relating to whether additional provision required in one local authority could be met by neighbouring local authorities;

·  The Panel discussed the extent to which alternative sources of funding for regeneration and housing development had been sought, and made enquiries into any other potential sources which could be pursued;

·  Having queried the focus of the questions set by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Assembly as part of the consultation exercise, the Panel noted that concerns relating to this matter had previously been raised;

·  Emphasis was placed upon the integral role which needed to be played by the Council in addressing the issues currently being faced in relation to housing provision and affordability.

In conclusion, the Panel acknowledged all of the points which had been raised and suggested that further discussions relating to such issues should be undertaken at Executive Board, when the Board considered the Council’s proposed response for final approval.

RESOLVED – That Executive Board be recommended to approve the Council’s response to the informal consultation exercise on the 2009 Update to the Yorkshire and Humber Plan for submission to the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly by the 30^th January 2009 deadline.

(Councillor Blake joined the meeting at 2.00 p.m. during the consideration of this item)