Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of City Development setting out the proposed consultation material regarding the update to the Leeds Local Plan. Specifically, the report seeks approval to the proposed initial scope of the Leeds Local Plan 2040, to the commencement of consultation on this scope for a period of six weeks and to refer the consultation documentation to the Infrastructure, Investment and Inclusive Growth Scrutiny Board for consideration as part of such consultation.

The Director of City Development submitted a report which set out the proposed consultation material regarding the update to the Leeds Local Plan. Specifically, the report sought approval to the proposed initial scope of the Leeds Local Plan 2040, to the commencement of a consultation exercise for a period of six weeks and to refer the consultation documentation to the Infrastructure, Investment and Inclusive Growth Scrutiny Board for consideration as part of such consultation.

A Member highlighted the importance of ensuring that the consultation was comprehensive and that the level of response was monitored, with a request that action be taken to ensure an appropriate level of response was achieved, if necessary. In response, assurance was provided that the consultation response would be monitored to ensure that the process was consistent with the established Statement of Community Involvement.

The Board acknowledged a Member’s comments regarding the need to ensure that the approach being taken in relation to the role of town and local centres was widened to consider social, cultural and wellbeing aspects, with it being undertaken that such matters would be taken into consideration as the consultation process progressed.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the proposed initial scope of the Leeds Local Plan 2040 be agreed as follows:-

·  Update by deleting, creating or amending policies within the Local Plan for Leeds (namely the Adopted Leeds Core Strategy (amended 2019), the Natural Resources and Waste Local Plan (2013), Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan (2017), Site Allocations Plan (2019) and Unitary Development Plan (2006)) that relate to the spatial strategy, housing, economic development, the role of centres, minerals and waste, transport and accessibility and ‘other’ topics areas (including heritage, landscape, rural development, community facilities, contaminated land and hazardous substances, and open land and green corridors in urban areas);

(b)  That the commencement of a consultation exercise on the scope, as presented to the Board, for a period of six weeks using supporting topic paper (as detailed at appendix 1 to the submitted report), be agreed;

(c)  That the consultation documentation (as detailed at appendix 1 to the submitted report) be referred to the Infrastructure, Investment and Inclusive Growth Scrutiny Board for consultation in accordance with the requirements of the Budget and Policy Framework;

(d)  That the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (as detailed at Appendix 2 to the submitted report) be published for comment as part of the consultation;

(e)  That it be noted that a ‘Call for Sites’ will be undertaken alongside the consultation process;

(f)  That the necessary authority be provided to the Chief Planning Officer, in order to enable the Chief Planning Officer, in liaison with the Executive Member for Infrastructure and Climate, to approve any amendments to the consultation material in advance of public consultation;

(g)  That it be noted that the Chief Planning Officer is responsible for the implementation of the resolutions above.

(The matters referred to within this minute, given that they were decisions being made in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, were not eligible for Call In, as Executive and Decision Making Procedure Rule 5.1.2 states that the power to Call In decisions does not extend to those decisions being made in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules)