Labour confused by ONS Housing Figures

We are calling for an early review of Leeds City Councils Local Development Plan following figures published by the Governments official statistics organisation the ONS. The recently published figures for projected new households across the Leeds City Council area during the life time of the plan show that the number of new homes needed across Leeds is substantially lower than the 74,000 confirmed in the LDF.

My colleague Cllr Wyn Kidger says the ONS figures project a smaller housing target of 44,500 up to 2028. This is a whopping 40% lower than those predicted by Leeds City Council. This means the target of 7,400 new homes for Morley is also wrong and an immediate review is essential.

Leeds City Councils higher target of 74,000 was agreed by a Planning Inspector last year although Morley Borough Independent Councillors proposed a lower target of 50,000 at the Planning Hearings.

My ward colleague Cllr Bob Gettings says the figures agreed by Labour controlled Leeds City Council are clearly excessive and their target does not fit at all with the ONS figures which are based on what is really happening with the housing market. This means Morley Greenfield sites, such as Daisy Hill, Bruntcliffe Road and Owlers Farm have been sacrificed to Developers when it was not necessary as the target that supported these developments was wrong!

We have one last full council meeting before the local elections to get all party agreement to a review of the Local Development Framework and reduce the target towards ONS predictions.

The MBIs have consistently argued the 7,400 housing target for Morley was unrealistic and would lead to overcrowded schools, congested roads and longer waiting times for visits to GPs surgeries. Our position has been vindicated.

Unless Labour Controlled Leeds City Council wants to pander to the demands of Developers, then there is no reasonable alternative than to review and reduce the housing target figure.