Concern over scale of loss of green belt in Leeds and Bradford

Its annual State of the Green Belt report warns that many homes built on such land are unaffordable and that eroding the green belt leads to towns and cities merging with one another.

Director of campaigns Tom Fyans said: “The affordable housing crisis must be addressed with increasing urgency, while acknowledging that far from providing the solution, building on the green belt only serves to entrench the issue.”

There are 10,572 homes planned for land released from the green belt in Leeds and a further 11,000 in Bradford, according to the report.

Coun Richard Lewis, executive member for planning at Leeds City Council, said they prioritised building on brownfield land and were “firmly committed to ensuring there is no unnecessary loss of green belt land in Leeds while meeting future housing need”.

Coun Alex Ross Shaw, executive member for planning at Bradford Council, said the Bradford district had a growing economy and the youngest population in the UK.

He said: “We have to plan for building to accommodate that growth.”