Equality Considerations

Equality Considerations

As a public authority we need to ensure that all our strategies, policies, service and functions, both current and proposed have given proper consideration to equality, diversity, cohesion and integration.

A screening process can help judge relevance and provides a record of both the process and decision. Screening should be a short, sharp exercise that determines relevance for all new and revised strategies, policies, services and functions. Completed at the earliest opportunity it will help to determine:

• the relevance of proposals and decisions to equality, diversity, cohesion and integration.
• whether or not equality, diversity, cohesion and integration is being/has already been considered, and
• whether or not it is necessary to carry out an impact assessment.

A brief description of what is being screened

This Equality, Diversity, Cohesion and Integration (EDCI) Screening relates to an updated Local Plan known as ‘Leeds Local Plan: A Planning Framework for Development’. The Leeds Local Plan (LLP) is a Development Plan Document (DPD) that will outline what types of new sustainable development are expected across the District, where they will happen, and how they should look. The Plan will cover two aspects: one is the setting of planning policy for the future, and one is allocating development sites for the future. The LLP will help guide how the city grows and changes between 2024 and 2042, help to make decisions about land use, whilst balancing development with social and environmental needs. This plan-led approach is also integral to delivering the City Council’s ambitions for inclusive growth, health and well being and net zero.

Previously, the Council was updating the Local Plan in two parts (which have previously had EDCI screenings), but due to several factors including changes to national planning rules, it is now preparing one combined Plan. This new combined Plan the LLP will replace all existing planning documents and cover a wide range of issues, such as housing, employment, local centres, design, green spaces, infrastructure, protecting the environment, climate change, flood risk, minerals and managing waste. In doing this the Plan will merge and update existing policies, and it will also allocate sites for development over the Plan period. Through this plan-led approach, the Local Plan is the primary means for ensuring that local communities know what development and policy will happen and can influence their locality.

The Plan will consolidate and replace the current existing 5 DPDs which set out existing planning policies into one Local Plan, this will make the Local Plan easier to read and understand. The five DPDs are;

• the Adopted Leeds Core Strategy (initially adopted in 2014 and amended in 2019),
• the Natural Resources and Waste Local Plan (adopted in 2013 and 2015),
• Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan (adopted in 2017),
• Site Allocations Plan (adopted in 2019 and amended in 2024) and
• Unitary Development Plan (adopted in 2006).

These DPDs mainly cover the period between 2012 and 2028. A review of them was carried out in 2022 and concluded that the policies in them were in need of updating to ensure that they remained relevant, were in line with national guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG), delivered Council objectives and met development needs into the future. The Council also considered that the 200 plus policies in the Local Plan were too numerous and complex for plan-users to easily engage with and implement.

The LLP is at the Issue and Options stage; at this early stage, no decisions have been made about the overall strategy and specific policies. Consequently, the Council is asking for public input now to help shape this. This EDCI screening is for this stage of the Plan (Issues and Options) and as the plan progresses further EDCI considerations will be set out at all key stages.

Relevance to equality, diversity, cohesion and integration

All the council’s strategies/policies, services/functions affect service users, employees or the wider community – city wide or more local. These will also have a greater/lesser relevance to equality, diversity, cohesion and integration.

The following questions will help you to identify how relevant your proposals are.

When considering these questions think about age, carers, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and any other relevant characteristics (for example socio-economic status, social class, income, unemployment, residential location or family background and education or skills levels).

Considering the impact on equality, diversity, cohesion, and integration

The LLP merges various documents. It is important that equality, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of the process from the outset, and is considered throughout the process before the LLP is adopted formally. LLP will have to go through many stages before it is formally adopted. The proposed process for the Local Plan is;

1. Scoping – the previous stage where views were sought about what the plan will address and what it should aim to achieve
2. Issues and Options – The current stage which includes consideration of comments made alongside evidence that is developed, to identify the issues that the Plan needs to address and what the options for doing this are.
3. Publication – the next stage takes into account comments, draft detailed policies are set out which specify what will be expected from developments.
4. Submission - Where it is ensured that the final draft policies are considered sound and legal before submitting the Plan to the Secretary of State for independent examination by a planning inspector
5. Adoption – Where, following independent examination (and any proposed modifications), the Council receives an Inspectors Report and can formally adopt the policies as part of the statutory Local Plan.

At all key stage equality, diversity and inclusion will be considered to ensure that there is equal and fair consultation throughout the process and to ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion issues are a considered from the outset in policy formulation.

The LLP in providing updated policy is extensive in its proposals. The plan is currently at what is known as ‘issues and options’ stage, and options based on the most up-to-date evidence are set out to include preferred options for each of the main topic areas for the purposes of public consultation. The aim of this is to allow the public, stakeholders and anyone who is interested in the LLP to have their say and input into what direction future policy should take and to provide an understanding of the options the Local Planning Authority has considered in coming to a preferred option. As part of this process equality, diversity and inclusion has been a thread from the beginning and due regard has been given to all protected characteristics set by the Equality Act 2010, and Leeds City Council’s local protected characteristics to include the Authority’s corporate parent function and those with care experience.

LLP has 35 objectives in total which are split into 3 broad headings; addressing the needs of the Leeds District, shaping the spatial strategy and ensuring the quality of places and development. The key equality considerations are set out in the next section. At later stages wider factors such as viability will be factored into the process.

Key findings

In total the LLP has 35 objectives which are split into 3 broad headings. The 35 objectives are set out below and the key equality considerations are set out below for context. Due regard has been given at this stage has been an important of policy formulation in considering all policy options.

Addressing the needs of the Leeds District

Objective 1 - Identify land for 76,817 homes to deliver the 69,834 new homes required to meet local housing needs across the district using Government methods between 1^st April 2024 and 31st March 2042 

Objective 2 - Deliver significantly more affordable houses in all communities at a level of affordability that meets local needs, taking advantage of a variety of delivery mechanisms and site attributes, including land value capture from Green Belt sites where suitable

Objective 3 - Deliver a locally evidenced mix of housing across the District: including homes of the right type and size, significantly more homes to meet specialist needs for older people and disabled people, alongside homes to meet the needs of the District’s student population and, co-living, self-build and custom built housing

Objective 4 - Deliver permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers to meet their needs in suitable locations, alongside provision for negotiated stopping pitches for travelling families and meet the needs of travelling showpeople.

Objective 5 - Identify locations to deliver at least 550,000 sqm office floorspace, focussed on the expanded City Centre and public transport hubs, to meet the needs of commercial businesses.

Objective 6 - Support the delivery of retail and leisure developments in the expanded City Centre, local and town centres, in key public transport hubs and as part of mixed-use allocations, whilst curbing the impacts of unhealthy shops in particular locations.

Objective 7 – Safeguard existing employment land in suitable locations across the District and identify new sites and locations to deliver a minimum of 2 million sqm of floorspace (approximately 575ha in land terms) for industrial and logistics uses, to contribute towards the national industrial strategy and meet the sectoral needs of the local and regional economy focussed largely on existing key employment hubs and new opportunities largely focussed in the south and east of the District

Objective 8 - Ensure a steady and adequate supply of the minerals that are needed in Leeds, by maximising the use of secondary and recycled aggregates, marine aggregates and safeguarding sand and gravel resources, whilst reflecting efforts to reduce carbon emissions by not safeguarding shale gas nor coal for the future.

Objective 9 - Reduce waste and increase recycling and energy recovery from waste within the district by providing sufficient waste management facilities in the right locations

Objective 10 - Increase the amount, quality and accessibility of green space across the district to help address local needs

Objective 11 - Significantly increase energy generation from renewable sources by supporting and identifying opportunities for renewable energy generation, storage and distribution

There will be a need for new housing over the plan period, and as part of that the LLP will consider many aspects to include overall requirements, the mix and type of housing, specialist housing needs (including self-build, older persons accommodation, student accommodation (including affordable student housing), co-living, Homes in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), accessible housing for people with disabilities), the needs for affordable housing and the need for sites/plots for Gypsy and Travellers and travelling show-persons. Requirements for overall housing will be based on the Government’s methodology. This would necessitate land allocations for new sites over a new plan period. This will consider sustainable ways to accommodate housing across Leeds so that all communities can benefit, will focus on making best use of brownfield land, but which could require the release of Green Belt land and extensions to existing settlements.

Considering the need for specialist housing will provide a better understanding of requirements and allows an opportunity to be more specific in addressing that need in terms of the protected characteristics. Specialist housing needs in particular can impact those on lower incomes, younger people, disabled people as well as ethnic groups such as Gypsy and Travellers and also those with care experience. In addition, affordable housing policy can impact those on lower incomes, younger people, women and the wider community. The LLP is also committed to addressing the challenges of meeting the needs for provision of new homes, improved housing standards and greater housing affordability will bring benefits to all communities across the district and will help to resolve the housing needs of those in greatest need against the trends of rising costs and the concentration of poor quality housing in some communities. The provision of housing to specifically meet the needs of older people across the Leeds district will be of benefit to all communities by ensuring sufficient housing that is suitable for older people by increasing provision of age friendly housing options including accessible new housing and specialist housing with support in locations where need has been identified, improving housing quality/adaptations to support independence, choosing sites suitable for older persons housing in locations which are ‘complete, compact and connected’ which enable accessibility.

The Plan also has a remit in terms of greenspace which plays a role in placemaking and ensuring that communities have access which can benefit all protected characteristics.

Safeguarding existing employment land in suitable locations across the District and identifying new sites and locations allows the creation of jobs which benefits all but in particular those on lower incomes by creating an equality of opportunity for all. Leeds is a diverse and fast-growing economic hub for the City Region and the North of England with a need to support inward investment and growth. The amount and type of land needed for employment development, the safeguarding of existing employment sites and the approach to tourism / tourism accommodation creating opportunities for all. The plan will gather evidence on the needs of different sectors that are important in the District, their locational preferences and the role of existing industrial areas across Leeds and how they may change in the future. In terms of equality considerations the location and types of employment to include different sectors as well as accessibility are key considerations. The impact on protected characteristics has been considered. Economic development in particular job opportunities affect all protected characteristics but in particular those on lower incomes, younger people, are care experienced, disabled people and women.

The development industry needs sand and gravel and crushed rock and Leeds has provisions of these minerals within its boundary. Both commercial and residential activities generate waste which must be handled. The plan will examine the need for minerals extraction in Leeds over the plan period, the sufficiency of existing sites to meet these needs and the provisions made for the transport of minerals, particularly the role of wharves and the canal, along with forecasts of waste arising over the plan period and the ability of existing sites to accommodate this (including specific needs for green waste, glass recycling and food waste). All protected characteristics are likely to be impacted in a positive way as the provision of mineral and for waste will benefit all in a positive way. Again, as detail emerges the impact on individual protected characteristics will be further considered.

By significantly increasing energy generation from renewable sources by supporting and identifying opportunities for renewable energy generation, storage and distribution all protected characteristics benefit as more choice is open to residents as the reliance on the national grid is reduced.

Shaping the spatial strategy

Objective 12 - Define an updated Green Belt boundary for the District that keeps land permanently open in the countryside and ensures sufficient opportunities through sustainable urban extensions where necessary, to meet its development needs for the plan period

Objective 13 - To define an updated settlement network for the District that takes account of the character of different places and their service provision to clarify their role in delivering development

Objective 14 - Deliver housing on suitable sites focusing the majority of development within complete, compact and connected places where people have opportunities to walk or wheel between homes, shops, services and green spaces, whilst maximising the benefits of investment, realising opportunities for positive local change, and responding to environmental constraints. Spatially this means focussing the majority of new homes in an expanded city centre, within growth corridor opportunities in South-West Leeds and West Leeds and on sequentially most sustainable sites within the remainder of the District that meet needs for local housing, especially affordable and specialist housing.

Objective 15 - Be better connected by maintaining and enhancing an accessible and integrated transport system that links people to jobs and services and makes best use of the rail and canal infrastructure for moving freight

Objective 16 - Direct a significant proportion of development to locations where it has potential to stimulate and support wider investment, regeneration and inclusive growth

Objective 17 - Align development with existing and planned infrastructure investment, ensuring that all development is adequately supported by the necessary social and physical infrastructure.

Objective 18 - Ensure that development is located and designed to offer people a genuine opportunity to participate in sustainable and active modes of transport

Objective 19 - Make use of all suitably located, available and deliverable previously developed and underutilised sites.

Objective 20 - Secure an uplift in the density of development throughout the District, with a particular focus on higher density developments in and around an expanded City Centre, town and local centres, and places that are well served by public transport.

Objective 21 - Ensure that new developments are located and designed to reduce and mitigate flood risk, and manage water, taking into account the impacts of climate change

It is important to manage how growth and development will be directed across Leeds over the next long term plan period. This will need to consider the existing pattern of development and the implications that past patterns of development have for future needs, the opportunities for growth provided by previously developed land and higher densities, infrastructure, transport hubs and the ambition to maximise and create more connected neighbourhoods in the District. The aim of this is to create liveable places that meet sustainable, health and well-being and inclusive grow ambitions. LLP will also clarify the constraints to development in the District such as flooding, types of agricultural land, and green and natural spaces. The direct benefit of these policies is that good quality environments impact in a positive way and benefit all the protected characteristics. When developing detailed proposals for example for guiding development following the concept of living locally and having sustainable transport it is vital that accessibility for all users is ensured.

The Local Plan works together with the Connecting Leeds Strategy to ensure that development is supported by public transport infrastructure and accessibility and Leeds can be a city where car reliance can be reduced. There is also potential for policy safeguarding mass transit routes or and addressing reviewing the policy on growth at Leeds Bradford Airport. Improving accessibility has positive direct benefits for all in terms of opportunity but in particular for those on lower incomes who are more reliant on public transport, women in terms of safety, disabled, those who are care experienced and younger people. Transport infrastructure provides more opportunity for quality of life and opportunity for all. Existing policies and legislation will apply and ensure that the particular access requirements of some of those with protected characteristics including those with disabilities or older persons are addressed. The promotion of active modes of transport for all, regardless of an individual's background benefits all. Equitable access to transport including sustainable means of travel for all should benefit all and as such transport policy needs to be mindful of those with a disability and their movement patterns and needs.

The transport related policies will have positive benefits towards by designing safer streets, delivering cycling lanes, and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, available to everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status or physical abilities. This ensures that people from diverse backgrounds can easily access essential services, jobs, education, and recreational activities as well as having significant health benefits, by minimising traffic, delivering cycling lanes, and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure to transportation more accessible to everyone.

The delivery of mass transit and rail infrastructure improvement projects offer potential benefits from an equality, cohesion and integration perspective, with the improved accessibility brought about by these schemes enabling people to more easily access a wider range of jobs, facilities and services without the need for a car. This is likely to be of benefit to all people but particularly those who do not have access to the car. Whilst exact Mass Transit routes have not yet been agreed, it is proposed that they will travel through and connect some of the most deprived areas of Leeds. Recognising this, and the potential that this type of infrastructure investment can have, it is proposed that the policy specifically seeks to ensure that schemes are holistically designed to ensure that their potential to stimulate investment and regeneration is maximised. This is important from an equality perspective, helping to ensure that the positive impacts of mass transit (in particular) extend beyond accessibility, and support investment in, and the wider regeneration of, the places along its routes.

The concept of living locally needs to ensure that accessibility for all users is considered. This is consistent with all other forms of development and transport planning. Existing policies and legislation will apply and ensure that the access requirements of some of those with protected characteristics including those with disabilities or older persons – are addressed. Getting around is a key aspect for all, (particularly for those of age, disability, pregnancy and maternity and on lower incomes) not only do communities need to be well-connected to each other via accessible public transport, active travel routes, and disabled parking, it also needs to be easy to travel within each neighbourhood, with good pavement infrastructure, appropriate lighting, and plenty of places to rest. Diversity of housing needs to account for different family sizes and structures, accessibility including for wheelchairs, and adaptability, so people can live in the same home as they age.

The importance of access for all to good quality greenspace with different types of spaces available to cater to different people, including both wider open and smaller more intimate spaces. Spaces and routes planned well for children are often spaces and routes that work for all. Complete, Compact and Connected neighbourhoods has the potential to be transformational for everyone but to achieve this, people must be at the heart of planning, design, and delivery. Each neighbourhood is unique, and its design and implementation will have to be tailored to the specific needs of individual populations. Joined up working across the public, private and third sector is essential. Therefore, the approach focusing growth to locations that are well serviced and promotes easier access to active travel and public transport is likely to have positive outcomes from an equality perspective. However, there could be a tension between Complete, Compact and Connected neighbourhoods that are closer to the idea (where it would be easier to create a liveable and healthy neighbourhood, that incentivises active travel to services that are easily accessible) against those areas that have fewer services and are further from the concept.

Equality has been considered as part of policy formulation for land at increased risk flooding, the aim of the policy area is to protect those areas which are most affected by flood risk and as such it aims to protect more vulnerable areas and residents. In terms of equality the impact of flooding is geographical or spatial being along the River Aire, River Wharfe and their tributaries, residents living in these areas will benefit from the proposals, it will have a direct positive impact on all the protected characteristics but in particular on those who are elderly, the young and those on lower incomes

Ensuring the quality of places and development

Objective 22 - Secure the delivery of high quality, sustainable and resilient places that people of all demographics want to live, work and play in

Objective 23 - Sustain and protect valued community facilities, to maximise social, environmental and economic benefits for residents across the District

Objective 24 - Sustain and enhance important heritage assets in all communities and locations, by maintaining heritage buildings, proactively planning for future maintenance and change and recognising the role that they play in the quality of place and quality of life for District and its people

Objective 25 - Increase the re-use of buildings and their construction materials

Objective 26 – Protect, enhance and increase the amount of green and blue infrastructure across the District

Objective 27 – Protect and enhance biodiversity throughout the District, particularly by requiring new development to deliver net gains and be designed with the environment as a priority, to maintain healthy ecosystems, ensure healthy residents and address climate change

Objective 28 - Ensure that development is constructed to sustainable construction standards so that they do not need to be retrofitted in the future and use resources, such as water, wisely as well as protecting the water environment from pollution

Objective 29 - Minimise the use of carbon through the design of new development including through assessing its whole life cycle carbon emissions and adopting sustainable construction standards to deliver low operational energy buildings that do not need to be retrofitted in the future

Objective 30 - To maximise local energy resilience by encouraging Heat Networks that take advantage of low carbon heat generated in the District and by encouraging large scale development to create new local networks served by low or zero carbon energy

Objective 31 - Strengthen the role of Leeds city centre and the 60 town and local centres across the District to improve their vitality and viability and provide a hub for local services for communities

Objective 32 - Promote and protect valued culture, leisure and tourism related development across the district to support a vibrant and sustainable visitor economy and improve health and wellbeing for residents

Objective 33 - Ensure no development will impose unacceptable effects on the health, amenity or natural environment of the surrounding area, considering existing sources of air pollution in the vicinity.

Objective 34 - Protect and enhance areas of landscape importance across the District, from farmland, semi-natural habitats, river valleys and former quarries to former industrial land and urban parks, so as to guide change within landscapes and maintain a sense of place for the District

Objective 35 - Promote the role of the countryside through supporting the rural economy whilst protecting and enhancing local character and the environment

Providing a policy with stronger emphasis on good quality design and placemaking will have a positive overall effect on all communities, including those with the protected characteristics to include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and care experienced. Good design and high-quality place making promotes creative patterns of use, paying particular attention to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place and support its ongoing evolution. Effective assessment of local character of place and space helps capitalise on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, and it results in the creation of quality buildings and public spaces that helps contribute to everyone’s health, happiness, and well-being.

Providing a new policy which embeds health outcomes into the consideration of new development will be positive for all communities and will help supportive equality, diversity, cohesion and integration. The overall effect should be positive in seeking to ensure that the population of Leeds and the environment in which they live, work and participate in the community is improved and health inequalities addressed for all. The effect on the protected characteristics overall is predicted to be positive especially for those who may be more vulnerable.

Child-friendly cities will be of benefit to all communities. One of the protected characteristics is age which can include other equality considerations such as those with care experience and those on lower incomes. This policy would seek to ensure that children and young people’s needs and desires are reflected through the planning process. Furthermore, it is widely recognised that spaces and places which are designed for children and young people are generally better for everyone.

Leeds has 61 town and local centres to include Leeds City Centre, which serve as service hubs for local communities and have been affected by the role / function of our centres in light of the pandemic and continued changes in shopping habits. Areas which are considered include changes in planning law, policy and guidance, the modern role of local and town centres, developing the city centre mixed use allocations and the boundary of Leeds City Centre. Our local centres in particular play an important role to our local communities particularly for the protected characteristics of age, disability, those with care experience, those on lower incomes, those who do not have access to a car and the elderly. As the way we work has changed with more people working from home then reliance on local facilities becomes more important. The City Centre and its boundary play an important role for all in terms of shopping, leisure, social needs and for a community focus. It also provides other opportunities such as local identity and a focal point for people coming together and a greater range of leisure and cultural facilities for all as well as employment opportunities.

Policies which provide guidance in the the determination of planning applications and as such can provide a positive contribution to the quality of developments. Heritage and conservation, landscape, rural development (including detailed policies for development in the Green Belt) seek to meet need but also to provide a positive contribution to the quality of life and to the quality of the physical, economic and spatial environment for all of the protected characteristics. The protection and enhancement of the heritage of the Leeds district will be of benefit to all communities and future generations. It is considered that by setting out clearer more effective policies that seek to retain heritage and cultural identity and set out clear heritage requirements for new development, this will be of benefit for all members of the community.

A reduced carbon future for new developments will be of benefit to all communities across the Leeds resulting in a positive outcome for all protected characteristics. New buildings will be more energy efficient and therefore require less energy to use and heat, which will especially help those who experience fuel poverty during the winter months. The policy also helps to reduce carbon emissions (by reducing embodied carbon in new development and promoting the reuse of buildings when possible) which is good for everyone as it helps to mitigate the impact of climate change and the extreme weather events such as droughts, which can impact those who may be more vulnerable.

Actions

The adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) is the council’s statement on how the local community and others will be involved in the preparation of the Local Plan and the consideration of planning applications and its sets out that consultation is essential to good planning. In line with the SCI early engagement on the scope of the plan has already taken place (for a 6 week period between 10th February and 24th March 2023). Evidence has been gathered on the issues that have been identified and the ideas that have been put forward have begun to influence the plan. Some of the key messages from the early scoping consultations were:

• 87% of respondents thought it was important to meet local needs for development (with affordable housing being regarded as particularly important). However, 63% of respondents said they were concerned about development taking place in their area.
• 75% of people felt they would be more likely to support development in their area if it took place on brownfield land, and 40% would also be more likely to support development if it provided new local facilities, physical or social infrastructure, landscaping / new green space, gains for biodiversity, high quality design, low carbon development, local jobs, affordable housing or different sizes and types of housing
• Most people were opposed to considering changes to Green Belt boundaries. However, there was more acceptance for this if it was to meet affordable or specialist housing needs (as opposed to general market housing).
• 68% of people agreed that the Plan should support people to be able to access their essential daily needs within a short distance of their home, but some mistrust was expressed about the concept of ’20-minute neighbourhoods’.
• Most consultees agreed with the Council prioritising climate change policies for development, although the development industry raised some concerns regarding viability.
• 69% of respondents found the consultation material engaging
• Over 1 million users reached by social media – with 9,592 clicking through to the surveys.

The Local Plan is now at now at the Issue and Options stage, at this early stage, no decisions have been made about the overall strategy and specific policies. Consequently, the Council is asking for public input now to help shape more detailed planning rules later. To support this, a preferred approach based on evidence and previous public feedback is presented along with alternative options. The aim of the Issues and Options consultation is to build a consensus around the key issues that are important for Leeds and to agree the vision and objectives of the plan. The vision and objectives are critical in agreeing what the plan will include and why. This is an opportunity for local people and those with an interest in the district to influence the direction of travel and to help ensure all issues of interest and concern are considered. The next stage of consultation will now take place over a 10 week period to commence no earlier than 30th June and end in September 2025.

The proposed consultation activities in line with the SCI will comprise of the following;

• Website with all documents available
• E-mail notifications to the same list of people and organisations used for the previous LLP Regulation 18 consultation plus any additional respondents.
• Press release
• Social media campaign
• Drop-in sessions
• Summary of topic area on the Councils website.

Further consultation will be held at future key stages of the LLP process, and this will also include Examination by an independent Inspector. The policy options for the LLP have also been the subject of a Sustainability Appraisal which assessed the potential environmental, economic and social impact of the policies. The Plan will be developed through engagement with local communities, investors and the development industry also with groups with an interest in Leeds, as part of this process equality has been and will an important part of policy formulation to ensure that due regard is given.