Leeds Local Plan 2040 – Early Scoping Consultation (Regulation 18) and Call for Sites

LLP2040 Statement of Representation Final

The Leeds Local Plan comprises a number of documents containing long-term strategic planning policies, that guide the amount and location of development in the Leeds district. It also included more detailed topic-specific policies that guide different types of development, and makes sure that priorities such as design, green space, heritage, infrastructure, flood risk management etc. are considered during decision making. The Local Plan needs to be reviewed every 5 years to make sure the policies are based on the most up to date evidence, are still necessary and so any policy gaps can be considered.

As part of the Local Plan Update, Leeds City Council is commencing formal public consultation on:

 The scope of ‘Leeds Local Plan 2040’ – looking at what new development could potentially take place and where up to 2040.

‘Call for Sites’ – an opportunity for landowners, developers, stakeholders and communities to suggest pieces of land to be considered for future development.

You are invited to make comments about both or either of these documents and more detail is set out below.

(1) ‘Leeds Local Plan 2040’: Scoping Consultation (Regulation 18) 

The scope of the Leeds Local Plan 2040 will have a 6-week public consultation period starting on Friday 10th February and finishing on Friday 24th March 2023. 

The objective of the current Local Plan consultation is to establish what the scope for Leeds Local Plan 2040 should be. There are certain policy topic areas we have to update because they are either out-of-date or no longer needed. Similarly, there are potential policy gaps that are not covered in our current Local Plan.

We believe that the following 7 topic areas should be within the scope of this local plan update:

      • Spatial Strategy
      • Housing
      • Economic Development
      • Role of City and Local Centre
      • Minerals and Waste
      • Transport and Connectivity
      • Other Topic Areas

We want to know what you think about the topics we are proposing to include in the Leeds Local Plan 2040, as well as suggestions for any other possible topic areas, or evidence that we should be looking at to inform our research.

Please visit the Leeds Local Plan 2040 webpage www.leeds.gov.uk/llp2040 where you will be able to:

  • View the consultation material;
  • Access a summary version and bitesize videos;
  • Find out about our drop-in events

It is important that we hear from everybody that wants to comment, making sure we gather the views of as many people, businesses and stakeholders as possible, so the comments gathered represent varied views from people all across the city.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you do not understand the material or the process; we will be happy to talk you through it.

You can have your say on the proposed scope by:

  • using the online response form through the website www.leeds.gov.uk/llp2040;
  • emailing:  llp2040@leeds.gov.uk; or
  • writing to: LLP2040 Consultation, Policy & Plans Group, Merrion House, 9th Floor East, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8BB.

We would prefer you to use the online form if possible as it makes it easier to manage your responses and speeds up the time taken to assess comments.

 (2) ‘Call for Sites’ 

The ‘Call for Sites’ will launch on Friday 10th February 2023

At this early stage we don’t know how much land might be developed over the plan period (2022-2040), although we do expect that in order to meet the needs of our residents and businesses up to 2040, the Leeds Local Plan 2040 will probably need to identify additional land for development. So that we can look at all potential options for this – and chose the most suitable sites where they are most needed – we also want to hear from anyone who has any suggestions for sites that should be considered when we are developing the Local Plan. This is known as the ‘Call for Sites’.

This could include sites that you think might be suitable for development of a wide range of uses – such as housing (including market led housing development, affordable housing and specialist types of housing, including for Gypsy and Travellers and Travelling Showpersons), industrial and commercial development, community uses, tourism, minerals, waste, renewable energy and energy storage, or a mix of uses. You don’t need to own the land in question; we welcome suggestions from residents and community groups too.

Please visit the Leeds Local Plan 2040 webpage www.leeds.gov.uk/llp2040 where you will find a link to the ‘Call for Sites’ section. Here you will find:

An interactive map where you can select the piece(s) of land in question and make any comments about potential uses.

More information

The enclosed Statement of Representation Procedure explains further details of the documents, how to submit comments and availability of documents.

The consultation will be carried out in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement.

If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, then please e-mail us at: localplan@leeds.gov.uk    

Next Steps 

All representations received during the consultation period will be considered by the Council and used to inform the scope of the Leeds Local Plan 2040. Based on this scope, research carried out and evidence a series of ‘Issues and Options’ will be produced. These will be published for public consultation later in 2023.

The ‘Call for Sites’ will help identify a potential ‘pool’ of sites for further consideration. Just because a site is submitted to us does not mean that we think it will be needed or that it is suitable for development.

Once we know what sites there are that could potentially be suitable for development, and we have established through the data and evidence that there is a need to identify land for particular type of development(s), we will need to make decisions, working with communities, about which of the potential options would be the best to develop in order to meet the identified needs. We will undertake further consultation to help inform these decisions.

Unless you specify otherwise, if you make a representation, we will notify you via email of further stages (including further public consultation). Please note to comply with its statutory obligations, the Council must make your representation available for public inspection, which includes making this available on the internet.

Please let us know if you have any requirements in terms of alternative formats or languages and we will make arrangements accordingly[1].

If you are unable to access the consultation material online, a paper copy of the material is on deposit at Merrion House reception, and there are copies of the consultation summary at all Libraries and Community Hubs around the district.

Alternatively, you can contact us: on 0113 37 87993 or write to us at: llp2040@leeds.gov.uk