Many people who responded to the Leeds Site Allocation Plan (SAP) over the years, will have received emails yesterday from Leeds City Council regarding their proposal to officially return the Green Belt sites in the SAP back to the Green Belt status – including the four sites in Aireborough – Ings Lane, Hollins Hill, Wills Gill and Victoria Avenue.

THIS IS THE LAST STAGE OF THE GREEN BELT COURT CASE

The judge in the court case ordered that all Green Belt sites in Leeds be returned to the Green Belt , pending a final decision on whether they were needed for housing allocations up to 2023 or not. Leeds City Council have now decided the sites are not needed and are going through the process of officially returning them to Green Belt status.

This requires them to

1. Make a modification to the SAP that takes the GB sites out

2. Consult with the people of Leeds on this modification

3. Send the modification to the Planning Inspectorate for examination for compliance with Planning Regulations.

4. The Planning Inspectorate then decide if the modification is sound or not.

The email you have received is stage two. You therefore need to make comment on whether you think the return of the sites to Green Belt status is the most sustainable thing to do for Aireborough, or not. Comments need to be in by 16th February.

WE SUGGEST YOU DO LOOK AT THE CONSULTATION AND REASONING AND COMMENT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, as this will go to the Planning Inspector.

The consultation is here, comments to go to sap@leeds.gov.uk by 16th February 2021. You need to ensure your comment contains the main modification number – the modifications are by site.

Any questions please email us at aireboroughnp@gmail.com