Leeds Council asks residents to have their say on what city will look like in 2040 - including mass transit system

The consultation will be an opportunity for residents and local businesses to tell the council what they think about the topic areas and set the direction for future consultations on the Local Plan 2040.

Giving residents the ability to share whether the policy areas are up to date, help meet local priorities, as well as finding out if there are any additional areas of policy that should be included in future Local Plan 2040 consultations.

Coun Helen Hayden said: "The Local Plan 2040 will set out our city’s planning policies for the long-term future, directing future development across Leeds, so it’s important that we gather the views of residents and organisations across the city at the very start of this process.

“This scoping consultation will set the direction of travel for the Local Plan 2040 and will allow us to understand what residents and organisations want to see across a range of planning policy areas.”

The public will have the opportunity to have their say on council’s early thoughts on planning topics for the next 17 years.

These will include the following seven key topic areas:

Spatial Strategy: Where should development take place in Leeds? It will consider how best to manage growth and development across the city.

Housing: How should Leeds respond to the national housing crisis? The plan will consider housing needs across the city, the mix and type of future housing development, the need for affordable housing and specialist homes.

Economic development: How many new jobs do we need, and where should they be? The Local Plan 2040 will look at how much land is needed to support economic development and which parts of Leeds should be prioritised for business development.

Roles of centres: What will your local high street look like in 2040? The council will consider how to manage and protect them for the benefit of local communities at a time when shops are closing and other uses such as housing are becoming more commonplace.

Minerals and Waste: The plan will explore the necessity for mineral extraction and associated infrastructure. It will also explore future need for waste disposal and infrastructure required to process green waste, glass recycling and food waste.

Transport and accessibility: The Local Plan 2040 will explore how the plan can work with the Connecting Leeds Strategy to ensure that development is supported by public transport infrastructure and Leeds can become a city where you don’t need to own a car. The scoping consultation will also look at what is needed to help prepare for a mass rapid transit system, which is dependent on central government funding and managing growth at Leeds Bradford Airport.

Other topic areas: Other technical planning matters will also be considered in the plan, such as heritage and conservation, landscape and rural development.

The consultation will be open between 10 February to 24 March and residents will be able to have their say on the dedicated website or via email, post and phone.

The website also includes separate sections for the different topic areas, which are available in detailed and short formats.