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Leeds needs 70,000 new homes - report
A development blueprint that will help shape the future of Leeds predicts the city will need up to 70,000 new homes by 2028 as its population continues to grow.
And the document drawn up by the council indicates that 16 per cent of the properties would be built on greenbelt land and a further 14 per cent on greenfield sites, with the rest going to previously developed – brownfield – land.
Much of the projected housing growth is focused on the city centre and inner areas, which account for 20,200 of the homes; east Leeds, where 11,400 would be built; outer south west with 7,200; north Leeds with 6,000 and outer south-east with 5,200. Site-specific allocations will be published later this year.
A total of 3,660 would be built each year between 2012 and 2017, rising to 4,700 from 2018 until 2028, by which time Leeds’s population is forecast to have risen by just over 100,000 to 859,000.
The figures are contained in the council’s Local Development Framework Core Strategy, which allocates land for housing, shopping, office and commercial schemes.
Drawn up under the direction of the Government, the strategy has to ensure that the city has a sufficient supply of housing land to meet expected need.
But council bosses are warning the figures should be treated with caution as even during the construction industry’s boom years, such targets were not achieved.
Coun Richard Lewis, executive member for development, said it was highly unlikely 70,000 homes would be built, particularly in the current economic climate.
The council will press for the bulk of housing development to take place on brownfield sites and within existing urban areas to help preserve the city’s “distinctive character.” The strategy will go out to public consultation next month.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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Comments
There are 7 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
luvmeteam
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 08:19 PMHousing is just about the biggest scandal there is,the right to buy at the same time as not building social housing running down housing stock.Government really want to rid themselves of the cost of building and maintaining social housing so keep pushing private finance.The only reason they get away with it is it only affects the so called lower classes and they have little political influence.While housing is a massive problem now in twenty years it will be the major issue in this country in my opinion.
whirlygig
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 07:34 PMThere are lots of myths about brownfield land and soundbites get regurgitated. There is some, but is it in areas people want to live and can it be developed to generate a profit for a developer? Theres a huge brownfield site in the Kirkstall Valley which NIMBYs and Councillors are trying to block for a housing develoment, this takes pressure off green belt land, it's time it was realised you can't have it both ways. Leeds Council don't own all the land in Leeds and what owners sell it for is up to them. If some land isn't developed for supermarkets where will those in the new houses go shopping? Away from the new houses thus adding to the congestion?
Suebeedoo
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:36 PMYou cannot get a mortgage without a job because no lender will give you a mortgage unless you are in full time employment. There is so many brown field sites in Leeds but the council prefers to sell these to supermarket retailers instead of allocating them for housing.
usernameless!
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:08 PMI hope they get the plumbing right. It could be a bit of a nightmare planning the drainage system?
Liam123
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 10:03 AMWhy can't you pay a mortgage with no job? There are plenty of people in Leeds who have much higher than average incomes, due to benefits, who can easily afford mortgages.
tildatwos
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 09:57 AMAgree - social housing both to rent and for shared ownership, with some owner occupied to give a mixed community. The focus for the first phase of building needs to be on the brown field sites, rather than using green field and greenbelt land. There's plenty of brown field sites available rather than building on open spaces which can be seen as the easier option. It's also important to also consider infractructure including schools, leisure services, traffic etc.
Mark Paul
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 09:34 AMWith only 5% of the cuts required implemented, then I would recommend they make the bulk social housing. You can not pay a mortgage with no job.
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