Leeds Site Allocation Plan – Update 

After a busy February Crowdfunding for a Barrister to help Aireborough respond to the Leeds Site Allocation Plan modifications, we got the full response in by the closure date of 4th March.   As of the 21st May we are still awaiting the Planning Inspector’s report.  The latest news we have is  that the report is expected by Leeds City Council in May after the European Elections on 23rd.   All responses to this consultation can be found here.

Leeds Core Strategy (Housing Numbers) Review – A New Consultation 17th May – 28th June 2019

Source: Flickr / Jenny Kaczorowski

In March the ANDF attended the Inspector’s Hearings on the changes to the Leeds Core Strategy – these primarily change the housing target from 70,000 net (2012 – 2028)  to 52,000 net (2017 – 2033) (note the change in years as this is important to calculations and links to other plans), as well as make some adjustments to policies such as affordable housing, housing standards, environment and greenspace.

There were some very robust challenges to LCC from Local Community Groups about the housing target model the Council uses, as well as their method of allocating targets to different housing character areas of Leeds eg Aireborough.   Also,  about whether housing building between 2012 – 2017 should count towards targets, as some areas such as Aireborough have already overachieved on what was required.

Following the hearings, LCC put forward some modifications (MMs) to their plans to make them sound.  The  Inspector has now approved a new consultation on these modifications running from 17th May – 28th June 2019 and has invited the public to comment.   (If you are on the Council’s Local Plan mailing list you will have had notification of this.)

The consultation is here, and once we have gone through the modifications in detail we will do another post on our thoughts as these are now getting quite technical.  Broadly,  we are mostly concerned about the lack of modification to the percentage housing targets for each area, although this may be a topic the Inspector herself reports on, as it was a subject to much debate.

The Council have supplied a response form for you to comment on the MMs but your response will go to the Inspector directly: as usual, if you prefer,  you can just email your response to coreStrategyReview@leeds.gov.uk by 5pm on 28th  June.

Leeds Bradford Airport

Responses to the connection consultation were sent by 12th April 2019 after a number of ANDF visits to local meetings to assess the issues.  Overall, 1,400 responses were sent: a good overview of the feeling of local groups, from Rawdon Parish Council, Civic Societies, and ourselves,  has been written by Yorkshire Greenspace Alliance, and can be found here.  It will take a minimum of 5 years to finalise any plans which have to be agreed with the Department for Transport.

ITV have made a documentary of Leeds Bradford Airport which will be shown in the Summer.

The design of the AVRO memorial is currently underway by Ken Cothliff,  which the airport have agreed in principle. The formal design will be unveiled at AVRO’s 80^th anniversary in 2021.

Guiseley Wells Pocket Park

The new Pocket Park paving was laid at the Wells last December,  since then we have been trying to sort out the planned installation of planters and bench with Leeds City Council.   “This is proving rather difficult” is the understatement of the year !   We continue to press on to find solutions to the various obstacles.  Meanwhile, the barriers have had to stay as parking on the area would crack the expensive new paving.

Air Pollution Site Tests – Suggestion for Sites by 31st May 

Last summer Clive Woods ran some tests on Nitrogen Dioxide pollution in Aireborough with some extremely concerning results.  He has now obtained the help of LCC to test 20 more sites in Aireborough this summer.  He is requesting ideas for potential sites to survey by 31st May 2019.   Full details here.

Guiseley Gap Walk Leaflet

The Guiseley Gap Leaflets were done in conjunction with Leeds Parks and Greenspaces and kindly paid for by Guiseley Lions; over the Spring they have proved very successful – with new supplies being called for by libraries on a regular basis.  A number of people and groups have now done the walk – it will also feature in the Aireborough Tales Told Festival .  Copies of the leaflet can be obtained from most local libraries, or email us for the address to send an stamped addressed envelope.

Aireborough Neighbourhood Development Forum AGM 2019

The  Annual General Meeting  for members and affiliates of the Forum will be held on Thursday 13th June at 7.30

We’d like to welcome all  members and supporters involved in the Forum’s work to date either through funding or participation to The Fellowship Room at Guiseley Methodist Church for an update and discussion on the Leeds Development Plan, the Aireborough Neighbourhood Plan and the Forum itself.

A lot has happened in the last year and we have now reached a very crucial stage in both the Leeds Development Plan; and the Aireborough Neighbourhood Plan (potential policies are now being written)

 IT IS DECISION TIME!

Whatever Leeds City Council decides, our Neighbourhood Plan and the policies in it are still the best way we can influence what happens to Aireborough in the immediate future and beyond; and we now have a body of relevant research and evidence on which to build.  We will also, in the interests of democracy, need to put decisions to local residents and businesses for them to give their final thoughts, and will need help to organise this.

So, come and join us at this important time, help make those decisions, and get the Neighbourhood Plan through to a positive referendum result.

Housekeeping
One third of Steering Committee Members have to retire at each AGM, but may offer themselves for re-election at the AGM. No Steering Committee member may sit on the Steering Committee for more than three years, without re-election.  Whilst all the committee members are happy to carry on, we would like to ask for nominations from the membership to the Steering Committee. (Nominations should be tendered to Secretary, Elizabeth Kirkpatrick by Monday June 10th, on aireboroughnp@gmail.com )