By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Fears have been raised over the future of green belt land in the city under changes to national planning policy.
Local authority leaders were urged to challenge the government’s housebuilding targets when Leeds councillors debated the issue.
Opposition members feared the impact of green belt land being re-classed as “grey belt” to allow developments to go ahead.
A motion tabled by Conservative councillor Barry Anderson said the amended National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) would not deliver affordable housing in sustainable locations.
Speaking at a full council meeting, Coun Anderson, who represents Adel and Wharfedale, said: “You’re going after the green belt and you’re frightening people.”
The motion said the Labour-controlled council recently lost two planning appeals after refusing permission for energy storage plants on green belt sites in Bramham and Carlton, near Rothwell.
The council could also face a further appeal after refusing permission for a Battery Energy Storage System BESS near Allerton Bywater.
Leeds Green Party leader Penny Stables, who represents Wetherby, said: “The green belt was created for a specific purpose – to prevent urban sprawl destroying our countryside.
“So we are extremely concerned that the changes to the NPPF, with the introduction of the concept of grey belt, will significantly weaken these protections.”
Coun Stables said energy storage systems were needed to reduce fossil fuel use and should be in “safe and sensible” locations.
Conservative group leader and Wetherby councillor Alan Lamb said the Bramham appeal was lost due to policy changes supported by Labour.
He said: “The council had refused that application initially, but thanks to the policy that you all campaigned for, to introduce grey belt, the council had to reverse its position.”
Liberal Democrat leader Stewart Golton, who represents Rothwell, said the Carlton BESS was in the middle of agricultural land used for rhubarb production.
He said: “Grey belt is the wolf in sheep’s clothing that is coming after our green and pleasant land for the people of Leeds and we must fight it.”
Labour successfully amended the motion to support government housebuilding efforts, saying there had been an 8,752 net increase in new homes delivered in Leeds over the past two years.
A consultation on the council’s Local Plan, which sets out which sites could be used for future development, will run until Monday, September 15.
WLD recently reported on a public meeting in Farnley and a community campaign to oppose green belt development in the plan. Earlier this week, Labour councillors in Calverley & Farsley said the Leeds Local Plan should protect green belt land in the ward.