Leeds city council is at risk of having its proposed core strategy thrown out for not proposing enough homes.
Planning inspector Anthony Thickett suggested at the conclusion of a review of the strategy this week that Leeds’ target of 70,000 homes over the next 15 years risked worsening an already existing undersupply.
Thickett has now called for submissions from the council and the property industry as to what housebuilding target he should set for Leeds, with a deadline for responses of early November.
A new target is expected to be set in mid-November.
Barton Willmore partner James Hall said the likely result was a “large-scale release of greenfield and green belt land” in the Leeds region, adding that investors would be watching the result keenly.
“The council has been very defensive of greenfield land, preferring urban brownfield sites, but the inspector is now calling for greenfield development as those urban sites just aren’t viable right now,” he added.
Leeds’ core strategy, which has been in development since September 2006, was submitted to the secretary of state in April.
Chris.Berkin@estatesgazette.com
