Plans progress to stop demolition of buildings for development in Leeds
Plans which could see an end to buildings being demolished for development in Leeds were pre-approved earlier this week.
The Leeds City Council Development Plan committee met to discuss a report which looks at the future of new developments in the city.
The report outlines the consultation responses to the draft policies within the council’s Local Plan update and the Development Plan panel has voted to progress these amendments to Executive Committee.
With a number of proposed amends, the Leeds Core Strategy update is set to bring some major changes to criteria for new developments, both residential and non-residential.
Proposed changes include revisions to policies to address the climate change emergency, such as encouraging the re-use of buildings rather than demolition and a requirement for all planning applications submitted from 1 January 2028 to demonstrate development will be net zero.
The Local Plan update will also strengthen some elements of the existing development management policies, including a requirement for health impact assessments for developments with more than 100 dwellings, buffers to trees depending on the size and age, and strengthening of surface water disposal requirements. It also sets out how biodiversity net gain will be implemented across Leeds.
Adam Key, director in the Leeds planning team, said: “Should they be approved, these proposed changes will have a big impact on future developments within the Leeds City Council catchment area, but particularly in the city centre. The most significant difference is the proposal to re-use buildings rather than demolish them, the latter of which has formed a major part of the city’s development backdrop over recent years with new buildings shaping the city centre. Whilst there will still be the opportunity for developers to demolish and redevelop sites, particularly those in otherwise high-density areas such as the city centre, the criteria for doing so will become more stringent with an increased focus on The Circular Economy. This will be in addition to the tightening of development management policies and obligations as further detailed within the draft documents.
“Subject to approval at Executive committee, a six-week consultation period will commence in mid to late October 2023 with the update to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in early 2024.”
