By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Up to 90 per cent of green belt land in the city could be at risk of being built on due to national planning policy changes, it has been claimed.
Fears were raised over the possible downgrading of land with the protected status to “grey belt” in a Leeds City Council debate.
Alan Lamb, leader of the city’s Conservative Group, said it could make more land vulnerable to property developers.
His claims were disputed by members of the Labour group, which controls the city council, at a meeting at Leeds Civic Hall.
Coun Lamb, who represents Wetherby, said officers gave the 90 per cent figure at a planning workshop he attended.
He said: “The reason we were told this was being kept private for now was because it would be very alarming to the people of Leeds.
“They should be very alarmed. They only way to stop this is to change the government guidance.”
The grey belt designation is part of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), designed to help councils find new sites for housing.
Labour Armley councillor Andy Parnham, who sits on the city’s South and West plans panel, said he thought opposition members were “scaremongering” on the issue.
He told the meeting: “We have made exceptional use of our brownfield sites and that will long continue.”
Labour’s Jonathan Pryor, deputy council leader and executive member for sustainable development, said the 90 per cent figure was not accurate.
He said policies to protect green sites would still apply and plans for future development in the city were subject to consultation.
Coun Pryor, who represents Headingley and Hyde Park, said: “A percentage doesn’t exist.