Leeds City Council Site Allocations Plan Examination Matter 7: Selection of sites allocated for development – Outer North West: Main Issue 1 Main Issue 2 Doc No. M7/1g Leeds Local Plan Page 1 of 13 Main Issue 1: For each Housing Market Characteristic Area, are the individual sites selected sound? 1 Are the selected sites justified having regard to the site selection methodology and process, paying particular attention to the deliverability of the allocated sites? 1.1 Yes. The Council’s response to Matter 6 details the overall site assessment and selection process used for allocation of sites in the Plan. The Council considers that this approach is the most appropriate in terms of meeting CS aims and objectives for the MD as a whole and that the selection of sites is justified. This response to Matter 7 sets out how the overall methodology and process has been applied in this HMCA. It highlights the specific characteristics of and evidence relating to Outer North West and notes whether there are any specific issues arising. 1.2 Further to paragraph 3.7 of the submission SAP CD1/1, Outer North West HMCA is an outlying area of Leeds, predominantly rural in nature. The focus of population is the major settlement of Otley and the large villages of Bramhope and Pool-in-Wharfedale (smaller settlements in the CS settlement hierarchy). The geographical characteristics of the area were taken into account in identifying the housing requirement, namely most of the land outside the existing settlements is open countryside and agricultural land within the Green Belt; the topography of Otley is shaped by the steeply climbing Chevin; the flooding constraints in the Wharfe Valley, only one main bridge over the river in Otley; and the availability of suitable housing land. The southern edge of the HMCA adjoins the main urban area at Adel where the characteristics are influenced by the housing areas and local features of Adel which lies within the North HMCA. The A660 is the main transport link running through the HMCA which continues out to Burley in Wharfedale and Ilkley, within Bradford authority area, and the Yorkshire Dales. The HMCA has significant areas of green space, including Otley Chevin and Golden Acre Park, between Bramhope and Adel. 1.3 The methodology as outlined in Matter 6 is considered robust. In Outer North West in terms of new housing allocations 53 sites were put forward for consideration, 42 of which are in or partly in Green Belt. In Outer North West there are: a) 5 housing allocations (3 of which are Green Belt/part Green Belt) b) 2 mixed use allocations c) 1 safeguarded land designation (which is part Green Belt) (see response to question 6 below) Page 2 of 13 d) 45 sites are rejected (38 of these are Green Belt). The reasons for allocation and rejection of sites are detailed at Appendix 2, pages 185 to 192 in the Housing Background Paper CD1/34. 1.4 It should be noted though, that in this HMCA the site providing the largest housing contribution to the Outer North West housing requirement is identified site MX1-26 East of Otley, which is a UDP allocation with an indicative capacity of 550 residential units, provision for 5ha of employment land and school provision. The delivery of the site is incumbent upon the delivery of the Otley relief road which will provide infrastructure benefits not only for the identified site but also for Otley as a whole. 1.5 In terms of office and general employment allocations, 13 sites of which 2 are in Green Belt were put forward for consideration in Outer North West. In the HMCA there are: a) 2 general employment allocations - EG2-2 and EG2-3 Land off Ilkley Road, Otley (1in Green Belt) b) 11 sites are rejected (2 in Green Belt) Reasons for allocation and rejection of sites are detailed at Appendix 1, page 46 and 48 of the Employment Background Paper CD1/29. (Please note that pages 47 and 48 are in the wrong order in CD1/29). 1.6 Within the context of the NPPF CD3/1, the deliverability of sites concerns whether they are suitable, available and achievable. Paragraphs 5.5 to 5.17 of the Housing Background Paper CD1/34 considers this at a strategic level, paragraphs 5.6 to 5.8 looking at suitability, paragraphs 5.9 to 5.10 availability and 5.11 to 5.17 achievability. The appropriateness of employment sites is explained in the Employment Background Paper CD1/29 and also in response to Matter 2, Question 9. 1.7 In terms of suitability, the site assessment process has considered an individual site’s suitability for development including physical constraints such as access, infrastructure, flood risk, ecology and heritage considerations alongside compliance with the CS. The Site Assessments document CD1/38 provides the full site assessments for all allocations in Outer North West (both housing and employment). Where necessary specific site requirements have been applied to sites where mitigation measures are necessary to ensure a site remains suitable for development. 1.8 In terms of the availability of sites, as paragraph 5.10 of CD1/34 and paragraph 3.13 of CD1/29 details, the sites have generally been submitted to the Council for consideration for the allocated use therefore there is landowner intention to Page 3 of 13 release the sites for that purpose. Where this is not the case the Council has contacted the landowners of allocated sites. No evidence has been received that any of the proposed allocations will not be made available. As the sites are considered to be policy compliant and suitable, any lack of response from a landowner has been deemed to be that the land remains available and the allocation is justified. Developers and agents are actively promoting and supporting several of the sites including the identified site MX1-26 East of Otley and both HG2-17 Breary Lane Bramhope (planning application number 13/05134/OT) and HG2-18 Church Lane, Adel (planning application number 16/06222/OT) are subject to planning permission / resolution to grant planning permission. The Council is working closely with Persimmon Homes to produce a development brief for MX1-26, and an update on planning permissions on sites, since 1/4/16 will be sent to the Inspector before the commencement of the hearing sessions. 1.9 In terms of achievability, the Council’s response to Matter 6 Question 7 explains how viability has been tested and how the Council will respond to any future changes. Outer North West is a relatively high market value area with settlements of Bramhope and Adel (mostly in North HMCA) being higher market value settlements. There is no evidence and no landowner representations have been received on any particular site to suggest that development is not viable. 2 Are sufficient sites identified in the HMCA consistent with the CS? 2.1 Please see the Council’s response to Matter 2 Question 9. 2.2 Outer North West is 245 under the indicative target of 2,000 as illustrated in the table below. Extract from Table 1 Housing Distribution by Housing Market Characteristic Area (HMCA), paragraph 2.27 of the Submission Draft Plan CD1/1 Housing Core Percentage Existing Proposed Total +/- Market Strategy supply allocations housing Target Characteristic Housing (‘Identified supply Area Target sites’) Outer North 2,000 3% 1,146 609 1,755 -245 West Whilst under the CS target, the Council have outlined how it will address this shortfall in our response to Matter 2 and in EX2, response to Question 11. 2.3 As regards employment sites there is no specific HMCA target. Provision and distribution of employment sites is addressed in the Council’s response to Matter Page 4 of 13 2, Question 9. 3 On identified sites where planning permission has expired, is there very convincing written or verbal evidence that the intentions of the owners/developers have changed? (Please see schedule 1) 3.1 The Council’s response to ‘Further Questions to the Council’ (7th August 2017) EX2c, response to Question 1 provides a narrative in relation to Schedule 1 and gives a detailed response for each expired permission. Since 2012, the base date of the plan, some sites have inevitably expired. This, which is common to all authorities, is a general reflection of the recent state of the market and ‘turn over’ of planning permissions. The Council considers that relying on such sites forming part of supply is justified because: a) of the evidence that sites with expired permissions are developed (see paragraphs 1.1 to 1.4 of the Council’s response to ‘Further Questions to the Council’ (7th August 2017) EX2c, and b) these sites remain suitable, available and achievable. Whilst expiration of planning permissions may have implications for a 5 year land supply assessment and the demonstration that sites are available now, it does not follow that such sites, given Core Strategy aims and objectives and the scope of the SAP, will not come forward over the plan period. 3.2 In Outer North West, 4 identified sites are listed on Schedule 1 of the Inspectors Matters and Issues. The status of each of these sites is set out in the Council’s response to further Questions 7th August 2017 EX2c and Appendix 1 of the Council’s response to Inspector’s Initial Questions June 2017 EX2. Two of these have expired planning permissions: HG1-20, Manor Square, Otley and HG1-25, Creskeld Crescent Bramhope. The evidence as to the intentions of owners/developers is already provided in the Council’s response to question 1 ‘Further questions to the Council (7th August 2017) EX2c.