Council need to be stricter on legislation over affordable homes in Leeds

A new estate being built in West Yorkshire. Picture by Tony Johnson

With housing targets in Leeds set to be reduced by almost 20,000 there are calls for planners to be more vigorous in enforcing legislation for the provision of affordable homes.

Leeds City Council has started a six week consultation on its Core Strategy, covering all development in Leeds, in particular housing.

It comes after new government guidelines on assessing future housing need, which means Leeds needs to provide 51,952 new homes from 2017 to 2033 - not 70,000.

Together with a phased approach to bringing forward sites for development, the extended delivery period from 2028 to 2033 gives further flexibility to respond to levels of housing need in the city.

The updated Core Strategy also includes the increasing of the percentage of affordable homes for new developments from five to seven per cent.

Coun Stewart Golton (Lib Dem) said Leeds was under-performing in meeting those figures.

At a recent meeting of the Executive Board, as the revised strategy was approved, he said: “It is welcomed that the affordability percenteage is to be increased. Leeds is one of the top five for allowing developments off for affordable housing because of a ‘viability assessment’.

“As a consequence we have lost 338 affordable homes because we were agreeing to do that. The ambition is there but our delivery on that is questionable. How can we perform better in that area?”

Tim Hill, chief planning officer said since 2014 there had been 132 schemes where the policy was applicable and 80 per cent were complaint, meaning 23 sites were not.

Two drop-ins will be at the Civic Hall. One for the public, March 1, 2pm-7pm and developers on March 15, 2pm.