Background, and the reason why Shadwell needs an NP, 2011/12

During 2012, Leeds City Council will be preparing the Local Development Framework Core Strategy which sets out the Council’s vision for the future development of Leeds over the next 20 years.

The City Council will then proceed to a process which will allocate suitable sites across the city for the development of new housing. The Government requires the Council to have a 6 year supply of development sites that are ready and available for the development of housing to meet with future demand as the population of the city grows.

The Strategic Housing Marketing Assessment assessed the projected need for housing in the city and concluded that some 76,000+ properties will need to be built by 2026 to meet the future demand for housing. Within this number the “Affordable Housing requirement is 1158 per annum during the next five years

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) has been carried out by the Council to identify and review all potential development sites across the city with a view to deciding on which sites could be developed. A final decision about which of the specific sites which will be developed is a part of the site allocations process and is not anticipated to be announced by Leeds City Council until 2013.

In Shadwell, plans are not yet advanced but the scale of potential development is significant. The SHLAAA Partnership has identified a number of potential development sites in and around the village which amount to 1,195 potential new houses.

Whilst it is inevitable that significant development will take place in and around the village over the next 20 years, it is not a foregone conclusion that all of the identified sites will be developed.

On 15th November 2011 The Localism Bill became law and this introduced new rights and powers to allow local communities to shape new development by coming together to prepare Neighbourhood Development Plans.

A Neighbourhood Development plan which will have legal status is intended to focus on very local areas, to be produced by communities with Parish and Town Councils, with the assistance of the Council. Policies included in Neighbourhood Development Plans will need to be related to the use of land in the area, or to spatial matters (i.e. aspects that affect how a place works).

Neighbourhood Development Plans must be put to a community referendum and will not take effect unless there is a 50% majority of votes cast. Neighbourhood Development Plans also have to meet certain conditions that ensure they are legally compliant and take into account wider policy considerations. They must also be in “general conformity” with the Leeds Local Plan (The Local Development Framework)

Towards the beginning of 2012 Shadwell Parish Council decided to produce a Neighbourhood Development Plan as a way of seeking to influence and shape the nature and scale of development of both villages in the future. A newsletter appealing for volunteers to attend a Steering Group meeting was sent to all villagers and a meeting was held on 25th June 2012. As a result, the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group was formed and the first meeting was held on 19th July 2012.

The Steering Group is starting to get to grips with the task that lies ahead. Next steps are to create sub committees and to enlist the support of the community in helping to develop a plan that truly reflects the views, hopes and aspirations of the people of Shadwell for the future of their parish.