Adopted November 2014 Leeds Core Strategy Contents 4 Introduction 67 Strategic Themes and Policies 68 5.1 City Centre 9 Profile of Leeds 76 5.2 Managing the Needs of a Successful District Metropolitan District 76 a) Housing 10 i) Our City 87 b) Supporting Employment Opportunities 16 ii) Our People 94 5.3 Place Making 19 iii) Our Green Environment 106 5.4 A Well Connected District 108 5.5 Managing Environmental Resources 21 Spatial Vision and Green Infrastructure 108 a) Green Infrastructure and Green Space 23 Spatial Vision and Objectives 117 b) Energy and Natural Resources 27 Spatial Development Strategy 127 Implementation and Delivery 28 4.1 Overview and Location of Development 32 4.2 City and Town Centres 133 Appendices 35 4.3 Leeds City Centre 36 4.4 Regeneration Priority Programme Areas 134 1. Schedule of the UDP Saved Policies 46 4.5 Aire Valley Leeds 146 2. Glossary 48 4.6 Housing Development 151 3. Accessibility Standards 54 4.7 Economic Development Priorities 153 4. Summary Monitoring Framework 58 4.8 Green Belt 60 4.9 Integrating Transport and Spatial Planning 64 4.10 Managing Environmental Resources and Green Infrastructure 65 4.11 The Key Diagram for Leeds www.leeds.gov.uk Leeds Core Strategy 3 Introduction Introduction 1.1 Population increase, climate change, and the global economy are all huge challenges facing Leeds. Within this context and in planning for growth within the District, there are key links between longer term economic prosperity, environmental quality, local identity and distinctiveness. The Core Strategy sets out the spatial planning framework for the District. Central to its preparation has been the development of an approach which seeks to manage growth in a sustainable way, in balancing the overall, scale, distribution and phasing of development. Community Strategy – Consequently, the success of the District Vision for Leeds depends on organisations, businesses, the community and the City Council 1.2 Leeds is a dynamic and ambitious working together to achieve the best City at the heart of the City Region. In for the people of Leeds, now and in addressing the current challenges and the future. …Leeds to be as a basis to secure future opportunities, the Community Strategy – Vision for What is the Core Strategy? the Best City Leeds (2011-2030), aims for Leeds to be the ‘Best City in the UK’. In practice 1.3 The Council is preparing the Local this means being fair, sustainable and Development Framework (LDF) for Leeds. in the UK inclusive. It is recognised that delivering The LDF is the name for a number of the Vision within the context of current Development Plan Documents and economic uncertainties and major Supplementary Planning Documents, reductions in public sector finance will which together make up the overall Development Plan (Local Plan). be no easy task. However, as a forward looking City, Leeds City Council needs 1.4 The Core Strategy is the main – Vision for Leeds to be proactive in planning ahead document setting out the overall vision (2011-2030) and working with a range of partners. and strategic level Policies to guide the www.leeds.gov.uk Leeds Core Strategy 4 Introduction delivery of development and investment ensure comprehensive policy coverage by the Core Strategy evidence base, is decisions, and the overall future for the and to determine planning applications. the desire to respond to current and District. All the other LDF documents A schedule of the UDP Saved Policies emerging population pressures and will be directly guided by its policies, is included in this document as associated needs across the District, including the Site Allocations Plan, the Appendix 1 for reference. The Local especially within inner urban areas. Key Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan, and Development Scheme sets out the priorities therefore include: planning Neighbourhood Plans. progress of the different documents for the provision of homes and jobs in within the LDF in Leeds (and is available In providing the spatial planning sustainable locations, respecting local 1.5 via the City Council’s website). framework for the Vision for Leeds, the character and distinctiveness in the delivery of the Plan’s objectives and Core Strategy: 1.7 The preparation of LDF documents also provides a planning context for the maximising opportunities to recycle • Defines the spatial vision for Leeds preparation of Neighbourhood Plans at previously developed land (PDL), whilst Metropolitan District to 2028, a local level, as a result of the Localism minimising greenfield and Green • Sets out a series of objectives Act (2011) and Regulations. Belt release, in planning for longer designed to achieve this vision, term growth. What is the Core Strategy • Identifies an overall spatial 1.9 The Core Strategy therefore seeks to Trying to Achieve? development strategy and 5 thematic provide an overall balance in managing sections, to deliver the objectives, 1.8 The Core Strategy plans for the the competing demands, challenges longer term regeneration and growth of and opportunities facing the District. • As part of the above, sets out a the District over a 16 year period, as part The Core Strategy and LDF should series of policies to help guide of an overall and integrated framework. be read as a whole and decisions the overall, scale, type, location of Central to this approach is the need to about future development must have new development and investment give priority to sustainable development regard to all its relevant parts. An across the District, including the in planning for economic prosperity, important role of the document also, provision of new homes and jobs. seeking to remove social inequality, is to provide a strategic context and 1.6 The LDF will eventually replace securing opportunities for regeneration, direction for the preparation of LDF the Leeds Unitary Development Plan and planning for infrastructure, whilst allocation documents. In particular, the (UDP) (2006), which is the current maintaining and protecting and Core Strategy provides a framework Development Plan for Leeds. Until all enhancing environmental quality for for the Site Allocations Plan, the the LDF documents are in place, some the people of Leeds. Underpinning adoption of which is intended to take parts of the UDP will be ‘saved’ to these broad objectives and supported place following the adoption of the Diagram 1 Relationship of the Core Strategy to Other Documents www.leeds.gov.uk Leeds Core Strategy 5 Introduction www.leeds.gov.uk Leeds Core Strategy 6 Introduction Core Strategy (and for which work • Preferred Approach consultation Diagram 2 has commenced). (October – November 2009) Stages in the preparation of the Core Strategy 1.10 The Core Strategy has been • Housing Growth informal prepared within the context of LDF consultation Issues and Alternative Options legal requirements and Regulations, (July – September 2011) October – December 2007 including Sustainability Appraisal • Publication Draft Consultation (which incorporates the requirements (February – April 2012) of Strategic Environmental Assessment) and compliance with the Habitats • Pre-Submission Changes Preferred Approach Regulations Assessment (HRA). Consultation October – December 2009 (January – February 2013) 1.11 Within the context of the HRA, a screening assessment has been Implementation and Delivery Publication Draft completed to establish if there is a February – April 2012 need to undertake an Appropriate 1.13 A framework for Implementation Assessment (AA), as required by The and Delivery has been incorporated Conservation of Habitats and Species within the Core Strategy as Section 6. Regulations 2010 (Regulation 102). This is supported by an Infrastructure Pre-Submission Changes The screening assessment has Delivery Plan and Schedule. The January – February 2013 demonstrated that the majority of overall monitoring of the effectiveness Core Strategy policies, due to their of policies as part of the LDF, will be scope and intent, have no impact upon published as part of the City Council’s Submission habitats designated (as European LDF Authority Monitoring Report (AMR). April 2013 Nature Conservation sites i.e. Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Leeds Growth Strategy Conservation) within or in proximity Hearing Sessions 1.14 In seeking to help deliver the to Leeds Metropolitan District (see Vision’s ambition for Leeds to become July 2013 – May 2014 Habitats Regulations Assessment the ‘Best City in the UK by 2030’, the City Screening). However, in some policy Council has also developed the Leeds areas the potential impact of the policy Growth Strategy. The focus of this is to Inspectors’ Report has been described as “uncertain”, support the desire for Leeds to be fair, September 2014 although as indicated in the screening open and welcoming, with an economy assessment, it is considered that the that is both prosperous and sustainable impacts can be mitigated. The strategic and all communities are successful. The nature of the Core Strategy policies Adoption strategy is based upon consolidating November 2014 is such that detailed consideration of and enhancing the unique selling identified uncertainties will need to be points of the City and in promoting key addressed in relation to site specific economic sectors for growth. These matters, through the preparation are health and medical, financial of the Site Allocations Plan. Where and business services, low carbon appropriate the Site Allocations Plan, manufacturing, creative, cultural and will need to introduce mitigation digital, retail, housing and construction measures to manage uncertain and social enterprise and the third effects. Where likely significant effects sector. A key role of the Core Strategy upon European sites are identified, is to therefore to support and facilitate either alone or in combination with this strategy, through the provision of other plans/projects, an Appropriate an overall planning framework to help Assessment will be required in relation manage and stimulate growth. to individual site allocations and/or planning applications.