Green and Blue Infrastructure Supporting Paper

Green and Blue Infrastructure Supporting Paper

LEEDS LOCAL PLAN (2024 to 2042)

Green and Blue Infrastructure Supporting Paper

Regulation 18 Consultation

June 2025

1. Context

The purpose of the planning system is to achieve sustainable development, which is about meeting current needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF – December 2024) sets out that planning authorities should ensure that development meets economic, social and environmental objectives.

The environmental objective is:

to protect and enhance our natural, built and historic environment; including making effective use of land, improving biodiversity, using natural resources prudently, minimising waste and pollution, and mitigating and adapting to climate change, including moving to a low carbon economy.

This background paper focuses on Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI), which forms a fundamental part of the natural environment and contributes to more sustainable development.

2. Recognition of the importance of the natural environment/GBI in addressing climate change?

International Level

As far back as 2009 the European Commission highlighted the importance of terrestrial and marine ecosystems in regulating climate change and that they absorb roughly half of man-made carbon emissions in ‘Nature’s Role in Climate Change’^[1]. This publication stated that “Working with nature, rather than against it, brings multiple benefits also for preserving our climate.”

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published the AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023[2] in March 2023 which summarises the level of knowledge of climate change, its impacts and risks and mitigation and adaptation.  It highlights the widespread and severe effects of human-induced global warming, the positive effects of mitigation measures which are needed at scale with funding though in some places this is already too late.  There is a need to rapidly move away from burning fossil fuels (the primary cause of the climate crisis) and to change agriculture, forestry and other land uses.  Removing carbon is essential to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C through natural solutions such as sequestering and storing carbon in trees and soil, as well as using technology.  There needs to be a significant increase in funding for climate mitigation and adaptation which must be undertaken across all parts of the world in an equal and fair way.  

National Level

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a report in January 2020^[3] presenting advice on what changes are required in how we farm and use land in order to deliver the UK Government’s Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050.  The key actions promoted are:

• Increase tree planting – increasing UK forestry cover from 13% to at least 17% by 2050 by planting around 30,000 hectares (90 – 120 million trees) of broadleaf and conifer woodland each year. 
• Encourage low-carbon farming practices – such as ‘controlled-release’ fertilisers, improving livestock health and slurry acidification. 
• Restore peatlands – restoring at least 50% of upland peat and 25% of lowland peat. 
• Encourage bioenergy crops – expand the planting of UK energy crops to around 23,000 hectares each year. 
• Reduce food waste and consumption of the most carbon-intensive foods – reduce the 13.6 million tonnes of food waste produced annually by 20% and the consumption of beef, lamb and dairy by at least 20% per person, well within current healthy eating guidelines. 

Biodiversity loss

The loss of biodiversity (the variety of animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms that make up the natural world) is an ongoing concern both nationally and internationally. Numerous reports, assessments and statements have been produced within Britain and across the world highlighting this, two of which are United Kingdom’s 6th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity^[5] and global assessment of biodiversity across the world by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)^[6].

The House of Lords article Biodiversity loss and climate change: Interdependent global challenges[7] (January 2025) highlights the challenges caused by the effects of climate change on natural ecosystems and the role of nature conservation in combating global warming.

The State of Nature report[8] (2023) was produced by State of Nature Partnership (a partnership of nearly 80 conservation and research organisations across the United Kingdom).  The report contains data on changes to the UK’s biodiversity, highlighting action that has been taken to improve biodiversity and the impact this has had.  

3. Actions supporting nature-based solutions for Climate Change

On an international level, the 2024 Climate Change Conference (COP29) was held in  Baku, Azerbaijan and attended by nearly 200 countries.  It, along with the latest meeting of those involved in the UN Convention on Biological Diversity ( held in 2024 in  Cali, Colombia), recognised the importance of nature-based solutions for addressing climate change and challenges to biodiversity and the need to work together.  It is important, therefore, that planning policy supports and facilitates the vital role of nature in addressing climate change.

Nationally, the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan for England (2018) makes a commitment to take a ‘natural capital approach’ to environmental protection and includes proposals for a nature recovery network, tree planting, an England Peatland Strategy, and creating financial incentives through the Agriculture Bill for natural carbon storage. The Environmental Improvement Plan (2023) sets out how government, landowners, communities and businesses can work together to restore nature, reduce environmental pollution and increase the prosperity of the country.

The Environment Act (2021) embeds certain environmental protections in law and establishes new powers to set new binding targets, including for air quality, water, biodiversity, and waste reduction.  The main elements are:

• Long-term, legally binding targets for environmental improvement.
• The establishment of the Office of Environmental Protection.
• Measures to incentivise recycling and more sustainable use of resources.
• Measures to tackle waste crime and illegal activity.
• Measures that will impact on the wider waste sector, such as product standards, information and labelling requirements.
• Strengthened local powers in relation to air quality enforcement through, for example, updated, simplified and strengthened local air quality management framework (LAQM).
• Water (Part 5)
• Measures to support new and existing internal drainage boards and amend the Land Drainage Act 1991.
• Strengthen duty on public bodies to conserve and enhance biodiversity, including mandatory minimum 10% biodiversity net gain secured through the planning system.
• The preparation and publication of Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
• Greater enforcement powers for the Forestry Commission to reduce illegal tree felling.

4. Climate Emergency and Leeds City Council

Leeds City Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019 with an ambition to make rapid progress towards carbon neutrality by 2030 in response to the significant international, national and local evidence relating to climate change.  One priority therefore for the Leeds Local Plan is to update and improve existing policies (made before the declaration of a climate emergency) and make new ones to more effectively address climate change in an effective and coherent way.  

The District’s environmental resources (Natural Capital) are crucial, not just in ensuring quality of life, but also sustaining life itself. The natural world regulates the atmosphere and climate and plays a part in breaking down waste. It provides the resources that we all use for our daily lives by providing clean air and water, land for growing food, open spaces for our health and wellbeing, minerals to use for building and the resources to provide heat and power.

5. What is Green and Blue infrastructure (GBI)

Green Infrastructure (GI) is defined in the NPPF (Dec 2024) as:

A network of multi-functional green and blue spaces and other natural features, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, economic, health and wellbeing benefits for nature, climate, local and wider communities and prosperity.

The current definition in the Core Strategy 2019 (as Amended defines Green Infrastructure and Strategic Green Infrastructure as:

Green Infrastructure: An integrated and connected network of green spaces, which have more than one use and function. GI is both urban and rural and includes protected sites, woodlands, nature reserves, river corridors, public parks and amenity areas, and sport facilities, together with green corridors.

Strategic Green Infrastructure: Green Infrastructure which has strategic importance across the District, including the strategic connections between green areas for the benefit of people and wildlife.

Whilst the definitions may vary the theme is constant; GBI contributes to and enhances the local and natural environment by providing multi-functional natural capital benefits and ecosystem services. 

6. Why is GBI important? 

Whilst it is unequivocal that GBI has significant benefits to health and well-being, amenity, mitigating Climate Change and local character it is worth, in the interests of clarity, listing some of the benefits.

• It benefits public health by removing and reducing air pollution.
• It can capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (sequestration).
• It can encourage people to use non-motorised and active forms of travel.
• It can encourage exercise thereby improving health.
• Helps cool built up and Urban areas.
• Mitigate water run-off during flash flooding.
• Significant Mental health benefits from exposure to Green and Blue Infrastructure – connecting with nature.
• Increased opportunity for people to engage in Social Interaction.
• Biodiversity and habitat spaces

7. Natural Capital, Eco-System Services and Multifunctionality in Planning.

The NPPF recognises that GBI has a value and recommends assessing the wider benefits of the natural environment / GBI using two approaches:

• natural capital – a way of thinking about the natural environment as an asset
• eco-systems services - the benefits to people provided by the natural environment and ecosystems

In order to achieve net gains in sustainable development, it is therefore important to plan for Green and Blue Infrastructure in a way that:

• clearly sets out its underpinning importance to sustainable development in Leeds
• maximises its natural climate change role
• places a value on its management, creation and loss
• recognises that GI serves many purposes. For instance, a small group of trees (copse) has various Natural Capital functions:

1. creates biodiversity through both the species of trees, the habitat provided and the soils
2. creates carbon capture (also known as sequestration)
3. facilitates storage of water which mitigates flooding
4. creates opportunities for leisure that support physical and mental health benefits.

One of the principle issues is that of multi-functionality. A forest path that is created through a copse as a result of positive GBI design potentially adds the functions/services of health, leisure and education. These are the ‘ecosystem services’ that the ‘natural capital’ provides.

Our relationship with GBI has to be understood in this context; that one asset or ‘capital’ can serve different purposes and good planning can support this principle and help ensure that GBI can benefit a wide range of users.

The time dependant importance of mitigating Climate Change, the value of GBI during the pandemic and the desire to see a healthier society are all key drivers that reinforce the importance of the availability of GBI.

Elsewhere in the proposed Local Plan changes there are issues that  directly interlink with for GBI such as place-making and 20-minute neighbourhoods. GBI plays a key role in these planning areas. Policies in these areas acting harmoniously can deliver substantial sustainable change to the environment.

8. What are we seeking to achieve?

Protecting, Maintaining, Enhancing and Extending Green & Blue Infrastructure.

Green and Blue Infrastructure is a network of multi-functional green and blue spaces and other natural features, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, economic, health and wellbeing benefits for nature, climate, local and wider communities, and prosperity.

GBI comprises multi-functional green spaces, both urban and rural, which includes protected sites, woodlands, hedgerows, nature reserves, river corridors, public parks and amenity areas, together with green links, river corridors, ponds, becks and riverbanks. It extends from urban centres through corridors to open countryside and supports the natural, recreational, and ecological processes which are integral to the health and quality of life of sustainable communities in the District. A key function of GBI in Leeds is to help maintain and enhance the character and distinctiveness of local communities and the wider setting of places.

Work has been undertaken to illustrate the layers of green and blue infrastructure. This draws together the following current designations and other areas of land:

* These policies are proposed to be updated/introduced as part of the Leeds Local Plan

** Local Nature Reserves are designated by the Council by using its powers under Section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 rather than through the Local Plan.

Any parcel of land meeting one or more of the GBI definitions is considered to fall within the Strategic GBI Network.  

The boundaries of some GBI functions, as shown in the table above, are defined in the current Local Plan. It should be noted that three of these designations are subject to a proposed update as part of the new Leeds Local Plan. The datasets used to represent these designations on the Strategic GBI Network Map is based on the latest available information. This may be subject to change as the Local Plan progresses to reflect further updates to the evidence base and changes resulting from consultation.

Other areas of land falling under within definition of Strategic GBI are not defined within the Local Plan. The extent of these areas has been derived using the most appropriate national and local datasets available.

Further Updates to the Strategic GBI Network Map

Leeds Habitat Network update

The Council is reviewing the Leeds Habitat Network as part of the Leeds Local Plan. The existing Leeds Habitat Network has the following types of site removed (as part of the first stage of the review)

• Any land within the LHN which was included by virtue of falling within Flood Risk Zones 2 and 3 which had no other type of habitat value identified.
• Any part of the LHN (usually small areas) which has been developed since the LHN was defined and has no habitat value remaining.
• The review is likely to identify further areas of habitat which will be added to the network. This will be reflected in the next iteration of the Strategic GBI network map.
• Public Rights of Way (PROW)

The PROW network is not currently shown the map. Further work is to be undertaken to identify the parts of the PROW network that has a strategic role in providing access to or linking other GBI sites and corridors. These will be added to the network map.

Urban Green Corridors

Urban Green Corridors are areas currently designated in the Unitary Development Plan under Policy N8. The N8 designation overlaps some of the designated areas forming the strategic green and blue network. It also covers other built-up areas of land in between.  The urban green corridors link the main urban area with the countryside and were designated to provide or enhance informal recreation and contribute to visual amenity. It is proposed that Policy N8 is deleted through updating policy on GBI.

Through the Local Plan update we aim to ensure that:

1. there is a clear understanding of what Strategic GBI is, and which areas form this.
2. any development in this area protects, conserves and enhances existing Strategic GBI functions

The existing Policy aims to improve Green and Blue Infrastructure where ‘acceptable’ on a development-by-development basis. Our preferred approach is to create a systematic and clear process for ensuring that GBI is considered with appropriate weight both within the defined Strategic GBI areas and outside them.

Green Space

Leeds is a city which benefits from good overall provision of green space. However, this is not distributed evenly across the city and as a result, some areas have very little local Green Space and some of it is of a poor quality.

The overall aim of the Core Strategy Green Space policies is to use the development process through the Local Plan to strategically deliver the best type and the best quality of green space to where it is most needed in Leeds.

People moving into an area or general increases in population place a greater burden on existing green space. Therefore, it is appropriate that new housing development makes provision to address this burden by providing green space.

Proposed Updates and Evidence

The aims of updating greenspace policies in the Leeds Local Plan is to ensure that:

1. there is better understanding of what Leeds expects in terms of Quality and accessibility to Green Space.
2. a stronger and clearer expectation with regard to maintenance of Green Space .
3. there is better Green Space provision within the City Centre
4. there is clearer and stronger protection of Green Space

High Quality and maintenance of New green and Blue Spaces

Quality: Whilst stated as a requirement in the current Policy G4, ‘Quality’ is not defined. Through previous LPU(1) consultation it was clear that a clearer definition of what Quality Green Space is will improve the environment for all. This ties into National Policy aims and good Placemaking.

 One approach is a comprehensive list of High Quality design criteria is proposed to assist applicants and design Officers in coming to a decision as to whether a Green Space scheme is of sufficient Quality (and thus complying with national policy and local policy).

Maintenance: Paragraph 5.5.18.1 of the Core Strategy 2019 (as Amended) states ‘Arrangements for -on-going maintenance must be agreed’. Through previous consultation it was felt that a clearer definition of what is required needs to be set out, particularly with regard to ensuring the green space is maintained in perpetuity.

Protection of existing green space

Our approach retains the need to ensure that greenspace is afforded adequate protection under Planning.

Greenspace Standards and accessibility

National Planning Guidance (NPPF), states that ‘Access to a network of high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities, and can deliver wider benefits for nature and support efforts to address climate change. Planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses) and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.’

Planning has a crucial role in determining the environment in which people live and consequently, securing good health and well-being for residents and visitors to Leeds. Effective use of the planning system is paramount to protecting needed green space, creating new green space where there is a deficit, and improving the quality of green space where it is placed under increasing pressure.

Good quality, accessible green space has an important role to play in people’s lifestyle choices. As land becomes more densely populated and Leeds expands, the quantity of green space available for public use is placed under increasing pressure. The opportunities to create new green space in urban areas are few, due to requirements to accommodate housing demand and economic growth. Consequently, the number of people using green space has increased, creating additional demands on the space which are detrimental to the quality of the space and its ability to perform its function successfully; whether it be a park, recreation ground, children’s play area or an area of woodland. It is critical that green space of the correct type, with the required facilities is provided in the right locations if the positive benefits towards people’s physical and mental health and well being are to be secured. It is also essential to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change.

In 2011 City Council published its first Leeds Open Space, Sport and Recreation Assessment (LOSSRA) report. This assessed the quantity and quality of our greenspaces.

It identified approximately 1,750 green space sites, 278 children’s play facilities and 154 indoor sports sites serving the Leeds population of approximately 761,124. This equates to approximately 70m2 of greenspace (not including indoor sport) per person. The results of the assessment work set out a series of green space standards that are currently identified in Core Strategy Policy G3. This identifies standards for the quantity, accessibility and quality of green space.. Whilst it is recognised that the existing urban form of Leeds offers limited scope to achieve all of the standards, particularly in the inner areas, the most needs to be made of the development opportunities that do arise to optimise quantity, accessibility and quality as appropriate. 

The current standards consider green space by type (parks & gardens, outdoor sport provision; amenity space; children and young people’s equipped play facilities; allotments; natural greenspace and city centre open space (including civic space)) and sets out standards for quantity (hectares per thousand people);  accessibility within certain thresholds (meters) and a quality score of good (7 out of 10). Details of these are set out in current policy and the Leeds Open Space, Sport and Recreation Assessment. 

This was updated in May 2017 as part of the supporting work for the Site Allocation Plan. It is crucial that the information on green spaces is monitored and updated to inform a strong and robust evidence base. 

As part of the new Local Plan the Council will undertake a review of green space in Leeds. This will identify important green spaces of public value in the main built-up areas of the District that require protection from development. The review will also identify those green spaces which no longer perform a green space function and what the options for dealing with these are: either allow some form of development on a small part of the site to lever in investment to improve the remainder, change the greenspace function of the land e.g. food growing or formal sport provision, direct nature conservation funding to sites that perform well in providing nature nearby i.e. are well connected as part of wider Green and Blue Infrastructure, or plant trees as part of the White Rose Forest endeavour to increase tree planting in the District. 

Work is underway to assess gains and losses since 2017. Green space gains are new green spaces delivered through new developments and infrastructure projects such as the East Leeds Orbital Road. We are also assessing green space losses (sites where permanent changes have resulted in a reduction of useable greenspace). 

The existing quantitative provision analysis is out of date in relation to current green space provision, population distribution and, being based solely on wards, does not reflect accessibility standards. We are working on a new tool that will measure and monitor green space provision in terms of:

• Quantity of green space provision in a specific area (total & by green space types)
• Accessibility of green space provision in a specific area (by green space type)
• Comparing provision (quantity and/or accessibility) between areas

This would allow us to undertake analysis of provision of greenspace by site location, rather than just at a Ward level, as is currently the position. This aligns better with our approach to Complete, Compact and Connected neighbourhoods (see Supporting Paper on Place Making and Health and Well Being). 

Greenspace plays a key role in living in Complete, Compact and Connected places and the Council’s extensive work on what facilities are available to people within a 10 minute walk of their home includes access to green space. 

Natural England’ published Green Infrastructure Standards in 2023. This states that everyone should have access to good quality green and blue spaces close to home for health and wellbeing and contact with nature, with an initial focus on access to green and blue spaces within 15 minutes’ walk from home.  This is further broken down into considering access to local “doorstep” greenspace   and medium (neighbourhood natural greenspace) to large (district and sub-regional natural greenspace).

Natural England’s Accessible Greenspace Standards do not cover formal sports provision, for which Sport England is responsible; nor play provision, which is covered by Play England and Fields in Trust.

Outdoor sports provision 

Outdoor sports provision is a critical part of ensuring that we have an active and healthy society. It must be recognised that different sports suit different users from different demographics. With this in mind it is important that our outdoor sports provision is monitored and planned for . In this context the Council will be progressing a Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS). Consultants need to be appointed to undertake this work. 

Along side this, initial work on a Local Football Facility Plan (LFFP) has been completed to  aide the County FA and Football Foundation. This means a lot of the data for the PPS has already been gathered. 

Some of the findings from the LFFP include:

• There are 1,833 football teams (based on 2024/2025 season) with an approximate requirement for 48 11v11 3G football turf pitches (FTPs).
• There is currently equivalent of 20 11v11 3G FTPs in Leeds available for community football use and therefore there is a shortfall of 28 11v11 3G FTPs.

 A further breakdown of teams in each analysis area has been undertaken by the County FA and Football Foundation to show the demand per analysis area as follows:

• East Inner - shortfall of 1.8 11v11 3G FTPs
• East Outer - shortfall of 5.8 11v11 3G FTPs
• North East Inner - shortfall of 2.7 11v11 3G FTPs
• North East Outer - shortfall of 3.6 11v11 3G FTPs
• North West Inner - demand met
• North West Outer - shortfall of 2.9 11v11 3G FTPs
• South Inner - demand met
• South Outer - shortfall of 5.6 11v11 3G FTPs
• West Inner - shortfall of 4.1 11v11 3G FTPs
• West Outer - shortfall of 5.5 11v11 3G FTPs

The following sites are already in development or at advanced planning stage which will help to meet some of the shortfalls identified.

• Guiseley School (North West Outer)
• Guiseley AFC (Nethermoor) (North West Outer)
• Green Park Football Hub (x3) (East Outer)
• Matthew Murray Hub (x3) (South Inner/ Outer)
• The Hunslet Club (South Inner / Outer)
• Woodhall Sports Ground (x3) (West Outer)
• Farsley Celtic FC also have planning for a Stadia 3G FTP.

The FA has seen unprecedented growth in football over the last five years, particularly in the youth and women & girls game. Overall participation is estimated to grow year on year, equating to an additional 778 teams in the local authority by 2030, of which 382 will come from women and girls. This could represent the equivalent of at least 20 additional 11v11 3G FTPs. 

Access to outdoor playing pitches

Sport England emphasizes considering the catchment area for a playing field, which may not be a simple geographical measure but should consider the sport, level, and age group, as well as how users might reach it. 

Play (‘Children and Young People’s equipped play facilities’)

Leeds places great value on play and its importance in the lives of children in our society. Children have a fundamental right to be able to play, and that play is central to their enjoyment of life and contributes to their well-being. Play is essential for the growth in children’s cognitive; physical; social and emotional development. There is much evidence to support this belief and an increasing understanding of play’s contribution not only to children’s lives, but also to the well-being of their families and the wider community.

Children’s right to play is enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Leeds recognises and supports this principle and supports using the Planning process to improve play sufficiency. The current Strategic approach of the Local plan already lays the groundwork by aiming to deliver a ‘Family Friendly’ city  and deliver Children and Young People’s equipped play facilities’ through its Green Space Policies (Policies G3 to G6) as On-Site Green Space, Off Site provision, Off Site commuted sum or a combination of the previous.

Play sufficiency and child friendly development is further picked up in the Place Making supporting paper.

Through the LLP we will be exploring how children and young peoples equipped play can be accessed. One particular area of focus will be considering the access to local play facilities in high density areas/schemes where, if there is not sufficient outdoor play whether the provision of ground floor combined indoor/outdoor play facilities in office and residential blocks may help to address accessibility and play sufficiency principles. Although a challenge in the provision of indoor play is whether this can be public space and what criteria needs to be identified in order to secure this through new development. 

Currently it is a requirement that all newly created Space under (policies G4 or G5) should be public, with reasonable exceptions.

Access to play

Fields in Trust provides benchmark guidance as to walking distance to Local Areas of Play (LAP); Locally Equipped Area for Play (LEAP) and Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play (NEAP).  

A Local Areas for Play (LAP) is defined as a small area of open space specifically designated for young children (2-6 years old) for playing activities close to where they live. Locally Equipped Area for Play (LEAP) are defined as areas designed to provide a stimulating and challenging playing area equipped for children who are beginning to play independently (age 4-8 years old) and Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play (NEAP) is defined as an area of open space specifically designated, laid out and equipped mainly for older children but potentially with play opportunities for younger children as well.  NEAPs can often be combined with LEAP provision. 

Building on the Greens Infrastructure standards by Natural England, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is developing a new statistic tool exploring household access to green space in England. The new approach uses a network analysis approach to calculate the distance to green space for every household in England measured along a network of walkable streets and paths rather than straight line distances used in previous analyses. It looks at measuring access to greenspace based on the following seven indicators: 

1. All green space – considered all accessible green spaces 2 hectares (ha) or larger, and a distance threshold of 1 km
2. All green space with rights of way – considered all accessible green spaces 2 ha or larger as well as rural rights of way as a type of green space experience, and a distance threshold of 1 km
3. Doorstep standard – considered all accessible green spaces of at least 0.5 ha within 200 metres (under 5 mins walk from home). This scenario corresponds to Natural England’s Doorstep Accessible Greenspace standard
4. Local standard – considered all accessible green spaces of at least 2 ha within 300 metres (5 mins walk from home). This scenario corresponds to Natural England’s Local Accessible Natural Greenspace
5. Neighbourhood standard – considered all accessible green spaces of at least 10 ha within 1 km (15 minutes’ walk from home). This scenario corresponds to Natural England’s Neighbourhood Accessible Natural Greenspace
6. Combined – Scenarios 3 to 5 combined, where a household is considered to have access to green space if they meet the criteria of the doorstep scenario (Scenario 3) and the Local standard (Scenario 4) and the Neighbourhood standard (Scenario 5) concurrently
7. Partial-combined – a mixture of Scenarios 3 to 5. In this scenario, households are considered to have accessible green space where the Neighbourhood standard (Scenario 5), and one of either the Doorstep standard (Scenario 3) or Local standard (Scenario 4) have been met

We will be considering how these definitions and measurements  can fit within our review of measuring and identify needs of greenspace.  indicators to update our tools to look at applying  access from individual households (rather than proportion of the land area) and walkable routes (not as the crow flies). The DEFRA approach would be seen as an improvement to how we measured accessibility before. This approach is also comparable with other areas outside Leeds so gives us a useable measure of performance for monitoring.  

We will need to undertake further assessment work to review these accessibility standards.                

Trees

Trees provide many benefits to our environment. They extract and store carbon emissions and take pollutants out of the air, provide shelter and shade and valuable habitats, reduce flood risk, soften the built environment, bring colour and texture, provide opportunities for us to reconnect with nature and help to support our physical and mental wellbeing.  These benefits often increase as trees grow and age therefore it is important that we protect existing trees to allow them to mature and plant more to ensure a  pipeline of future mature trees.

Work undertaken by UBoC[9] in partnership with University of Leeds and Leeds City Council in 2019/2020 mapped tree canopy across Leeds. 

The tree canopy cover analysis enables an estimate of the distribution of trees across this city using mapping software that uses satellite imagery to identify tree cover across a defined area. This then enables an estimate of the percentage of tree cover across all of the wards.  The average canopy cover for the city is estimated to be approximately 17%.

White Rose Forest and the Council’s commitment to tree planting

Leeds City Council is a founding member of the White Rose Forest (WRF) and has played a pivotal road in its development.  The White Rose Forest Action Plan (2021 – 25)[10] set an ambition to plant 7 million trees between 2021 and 2025 across West and North Yorkshire and the Leeds-specific White Rose Forest Strategy 2020[11] set a vision to increase tree canopy cover from 17% to 33% of the Leeds area by 2050.  This would be done by planting 1500 hectares (500 hectares by the Council) as well as protecting existing trees.  The White Rose Forest Strategic Plan (2025-50) is the latest document which sets out targets including to increase tree and woodland cover from 12% to 16.5% (or possibly 18.5%) of the WRF area by 2050.  It is important that the LLP supports the ambitions and the actions of the WRF and the Council and any policies help to deliver increased canopy cover and appropriate management and protection. 

Those trees and woodland that are already old, such as ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees, are nationally recognised as being valuable natural assets for wildlife; soils; carbon capture and storage; as a seed bank and for genetic diversity; recreation, health and wellbeing; and cultural, historical and landscape value[12].  They are regarded as irreplaceable and development that will result in their loss or deterioration should be refused unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and compensation is in place.

Long Established Woodlands, whilst younger that Ancient Woodlands, are also recognised by central government as important as they have rich biodiversity, often contain old-growth features and deliver a range of ecosystem services.[13]  The England Trees Action Plan 2021 – 2024 (May 2021)[14] states that the government will introduce a new category of Long Established Woodland in recognition of their high ecological and societal value. In line with this commitment and the recognition that Long Established Woodlands do not benefit from the protection afforded to irreplaceable habitats, it is important that local plans  clearly identify and given stronger protection to them. 

It is likely that some will be lost through development therefore it is important that these are replaced to prevent a loss of amenity, biodiversity and carbon sequestration and a reduction in their contribution to tackle climate change.  The current replacement ratio of trees of 3 new trees for every one lost (Policy LAND 2, Natural Resources and Waste Local Plan) does not recognise the characteristics of the trees lost and the replacements, in particular the relative sizes of the trees and their value in terms of sequestering and storing carbon.  The Council sees trees as a vital way of reducing residual carbon left over after other carbon-reducing measures and therefore the University of Leeds and the United Bank of Carbon was employed to devise a tree replacement methodology to achieve parity in carbon sequestration levels prior to trees being removed and after replacement planting.

Overall, the  update to the tree policies in the Leeds Local Plan aims to :

• recognise the multi-faceted value of trees including visual amenity, sequestering carbon and providing valuable habitats for flora and fauna.
• increase the protection of all trees and hedgerows
  • to  retain trees and hedgerows beyond existing methods such as Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) and Conservation Area designations
  • to take into account any unnecessary and unjustified loss of trees and hedgerows due to development, including that undertaken prior to the submission of a planning application to facilitate development.    
    • Enhance and support the planting of new trees, including provision of street trees. This could include on-site and off-site contributions to existing tree planting programmes, such as the White Rose Forest and the Leeds habitat Bank.
• ensure the replacement of trees lost results in no loss of carbon sequestration levels through a replacement methodology and ongoing maintenance and management.

Evidence

Protection of Trees, Woodland and Hedgerows

Site specific tree and/or hedgerow surveys and site visits will be used to determine the details of trees located on development sites and assessments will be used to evidence proposals relating to the trees and hedgerows.  Other available evidence will also be used such as Blue Sky data and aerial photographs which can also provide historic evidence of trees and hedgerows.

Ancient Woodlands, ancient trees, veteran trees

There are a number of national data sets for ancient woodlands, ancient trees and veteran trees.  Some are listed below though this list should not be considered as comprehensive.  It is expected that these will change over time as new woodland and trees are identified.

The latest ancient woodland boundary authoritive mapping is available to view here: Ancient Woodland Boundary Map - Defra (November 2024)

West Yorkshire Ecology undertook an update of Ancient Woodland in Leeds in preparation for this update to the Leeds Local Plan.  They used the Ancient Woodland Inventory Handbook NERC248[15].  The sites identified can be viewed as a layer on the Strategic GBI map Strategic Green & Blue Infrastructure Network (arcgis.com) and on Natural England’s portal linked above.

 Ancient Trees: Ancient Tree Inventory - Woodland Trust, Ancient tree sites to visit | Ancient Tree Forum

Veteran Trees: Natural England Access to Evidence - Veteran trees Map

Justification for Buffers

‘Ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees: advice for making planning decisions’[16] recognises that buffer zones can protect ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees and provide valuable habitat for woodland wildlife.  It advises that the size and type of buffer zone should vary depending on the scale and type of development and its effect on ancient woodland, ancient and veteran trees and the character of the surrounding area.

The document recommends a buffer of at least 15 metres from the boundary of ancient woodland, though acknowledges that certain impacts may justify larger buffer zones.  For ancient or veteran trees (including those on the woodland boundary), the buffer zone should be at least 15 times larger than the diameter of the tree and  5 metres from the edge of the tree’s canopy if that area is larger than 15 times the tree’s diameter.  Larger buffer zones may be required if impacts are likely to extend beyond this distance.

Buffer zones should be used to create or establish semi-natural habitats which include local, appropriate native species and contribute to wider ecological networks.  They should also be part of the green infrastructure of the area and may allow access if the habitat will not be trampled and harmed.  Development proposals, including gardens should not be approved within any buffer zone and sustainable drainage schemes should only be approved if they do not affect root protection areas and any change to the water table does not negatively affect ancient woodland or ancient and veteran trees.

The Woodland Trust promotes a minimum 50 metre buffer for Ancient Woodland in their document Planning for Ancient Woodland (2019)[17]. It is proposed that policy adopts this distance to both protect existing ancient woodland and expand woodland cover in Leeds.  This is based on the following principles:

• 30 metres: the width required to establish one open-grown Large tree based on the ultimate canopy spread of 30 metres and with native woodland shrubs and ground flora established beneath.  Public access will be resisted and the area will largely accommodate any naturally falling adjacent mature trees (or limbs from such trees) from the existing ancient woodland or the new open grown Large tree.  This will minimise public safety issues and protect the biodiversity value of retained standing and fallen deadwood as part of the ancient woodland ecological community; plus
• 10 metres: of more-open habitat to provide eco-tones and mimic a woodland glade/ride through scrub and tall ruderal habitats.  Public access will be resisted and the area will largely accommodate any naturally falling adjacent mature trees (or limbs from such trees) from the existing ancient woodland or the new open grown Large tree.  This will minimise public safety issues and protect the biodiversity value of retained standing and fallen deadwood as part of the ancient woodland ecological community; plus
• 10 metres: of meadow strip to provide another ecotone to the edge of the woodland which can also provide public access through, for example, surfaced paths.   Appropriate fencing should also be provided to protect new woodland expansion and/or an appropriate boundary feature to the adjacent woodland.

Long Established Woodland

As part of their review and update of Ancient Woodland (using the Ancient Woodland Inventory Handbook NERC248), West Yorkshire Ecology identified sites that meet the definition of Long Established Woodland[18].  These sites can be viewed on an interactive map Long Established Woodland Map.

Justification for buffers

To reflect the use of buffers to Ancient Woodland, a buffer of 30 metres has been selected to protect existing Long Established Woodland and to create new woodland cover which could be the Long Established Woodlands or Ancient Woodlands of the future. This is based on the following:

• 30 metres: the width required to establish one open-grown Large tree based on the ultimate canopy spread of 30m and with native woodland shrubs and ground flora encouraged to establish beneath it; or.  
• 30 metres: the width required to establish one open grown Medium tree based on the ultimate canopy spread of up to 20m and with native woodland shrubs and ground flora encouraged to establish beneath it. Together with up to 10 m of associated habitat to provide eco-tones and mimic a woodland glade/ride through scrub, tall ruderal and meadow strip

Tree Replacement

The University of Leeds and the United Bank of Carbon has devised a tree replacement methodology[19] to achieve parity in carbon sequestration levels prior to trees being removed and after replacement planting.  The methodology considers the condition, species and stature of the removed tree and the replacement trees as they impact on their ability to sequestrate carbon and the replacement numbers depend on the diameter and stature of the tree to be removed and the stature and condition category (as defined in BS 5837: 2012) of the replacement trees.  A ‘Tree Replacement Calculator’ has been devised to assist the application of the replacement methodology which will be made available at an appropriate time. 

National Policy

NPPF Paragraphs:             8c, 11, 20d, 125a), 125b), 136, 151, 152, 187, 188, 192, 193, 195

The UK Government has an ambition to increase tree and woodland cover in England from 14 to 17%, by more than trebling annual planting rates by 2050.  This will enhance carbon sequestration and give new woodlands and trees a pivotal role in the recovery of nature however planting must be in the right places and not damage existing valued wildlife and habitats which can be identified using tools such as botanical heatmaps and botanical value maps.^[20]

The England Trees Action Plan 2021 to 2024^[21] sets out the government’s long-term vision for the treescape it wants to see in England by 2050 and beyond. The plan provides a strategic framework for implementing the Nature for Climate Fund and outlines over 80 policy actions the government is taking over this Parliament to help deliver this vision.

The Plan also recognises the need to work towards net zero emissions by 2050, to address biodiversity loss, to better connect people with nature and to create more green jobs with trees at the heart of this. There are several initiatives to support woodland creation and management, such as the England Woodland Creation Offer and the Queens Green Canopy.

The Environment Act (2021) establishes Local Nature Recovery Strategies which will support a Nature Recovery Network.  It is likely that these will incorporate tree protection and planting.  It also introduces a duty upon Local Authorities to consult on street tree felling, strengthens woodland protection enforcement measures and prohibits larger UK businesses from using commodities associated with wide-scale deforestation

Measurement of Policy

The current monitoring indicator for Trees is:

24. Increase in the amount of tree cover in the District.

The revised monitoring indicators are proposed to be:

1. Increase in the amount of tree cover in the District
2. Area of woodland cover
3. Population living within 500m of area of woodland (accessible to the public) of least 2ha and within 4km of an area of woodland of least 20ha (accessible to the public)
4. Area of ancient woodland lost to development
5. Area of long-established woodland lost to development
6. Increase in the amount of tree cover in the District

Implementation of Policy

New policies  are proposed that would seek the submission of an up to date and appropriate tree survey and assessments of various aspects such as carbon sequestration, , biodiversity and amenity value.  .   Details of how a scheme has been designed to retain as many trees as possible would be expected  to be submitted along with full justification supporting any proposed removal and details of any replacement planting  using the tree replacement methodology ..

Nature Conservation

Nature Conservation is not just about rare or threatened species or habitats, it is also about ensuring widespread and common species remain an integral part of a sustainable natural environment.  Leeds  has many designated sites  and undesignated areas of habitat that are of value  such as areas of woodland, grasslands, hedgerows, waterways and water bodies, gardens, allotments, shelter belts, farmland and field margins, scrub, and other open spaces. Planning policies need to seek the protection, improvement and increase of sites recognised for their biodiversity and habitat value  to create an interlinked, city-wide network of spaces for nature as part of the Council’s response to climate change.

The Environment Act (2021) strengthens the duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity and requires the delivery of at least 10% biodiversity net gain by developments.  It also establishes Local Nature Recovery Strategies which  support a Nature Recovery Network, Conservation Covenants and Protected Site Strategies and Species Conservation Strategies.   The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (in force in 2006) transferred the duty of biodiversity conservation to local public authorities which must use policy and decision making to ensure biodiversity is kept consistent, enhanced, restored, or protected, including the 943 species and 56 habitats on Natural England’s protected species and habitats list.  The Wildlife and Countryside Act (in force in 1981) is the primary mechanism for wildlife conservation and protection in Britain, giving certain animals, plants, wild birds and their eggs and nests protection from killing, injury, being taken, or having their places of shelter interfered with.

Overall, the update to the nature conservation policies in the Leeds Local Plan aims to:

• up to date terminology and harmonise with the Environment Act 2021
• protect designated sites of international, national, regional and local biodiversity or geological importance; any Habitat or Species of Principal Importance;  undesignated sites that meet the recognised criteria for a Local Wildlife Site or Local Geological Site
• protect a city-wide network of important natural spaces and linkages

Evidence

Special Protection Areas(SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are designated by Natural England under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended).  Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are designated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).  West Yorkshire Local Wildlife Sites and Local Geological Sites are designated by the West Yorkshire Local Sites Partnership and Local Nature Reserves are designated by the Council under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

West Yorkshire Ecology has undertaken a review of the saved non-statutory designated sites from the 2006 Revised Unitary Development Plan on behalf of Leeds City Council. Every  Leeds Nature Area and Site of Ecological or Geological Importance has been assessed against the West Yorkshire Local Wildlife Sites Criteria and sites that meet the relevant Criteria have been renamed as Local Wildlife Sites.  Those that do not meet the Criteria have either been removed from the Schedule and will be removed from the Policies Map when it is next updated or form part of the Leeds Habitat Network so will continue to receive an appropriate level of protection.  The latest Habitat Designations Schedule is attached in Appendix 1 and an audit trail of designated sites in Leeds can be found in Appendix 2.  Current sites are shown on the Natural Environment Map Natural Environment Map.

West Yorkshire Ecology has undertaken a review and update of the Leeds Habitat Network on behalf of Leeds City Council.  Details of the methodology followed can be found in Appendix 3.  The updated Leeds Habitat Network is shown on Leeds Habitat Network Map.  

National Policy

NPPF Paragraphs              8c, 9, 11, 20d, 125a), 125B, 187, 188, 192, 193, 194, 195

Measurement of Policy

The current monitoring indicator for Nature Conservation is:

37. Quality of Existing Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Leeds

The revised monitoring indicator is proposed to be:

1. Quality of existing Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Leeds
2. Area of Leeds Habitat Network lost to development

Implementation of Policy

We propose policies that will  continue to protect important habitats and species on designated sites,   undesignated sites that meet recognised criteria and the Leeds Habitat Network.  They will help prevent harmful impacts on these important habitats and species and seek compensatory enhancements and ongoing maintenance, management and monitoring.  ..

Biodiversity Net Gain

Biodiversity is the term used to describe the amazing variety of life on Earth.  It has a fundamental  role in helping us live healthy and happy lives; it provides us with food, clean air, clean water, raw materials, medical discoveries, extreme weather mitigation, places to relax and have fun and benefits our physical and mental well-being.   The importance of biodiversity to climate change is widely recognised at an international, national and local level as set out in Section2. above.  The Environment Act (2021) strengthens the duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity and requires the delivery of at least 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) by developments.  The Government’s key guidance can be found Biodiversity net gain - GOV.UK.

It is proposed that BNG will be sought in line with the Environment Act therefore no alternative amount of gain will be required in local policy.  Overall, the update to biodiversity policy in the Leeds Local Plan  aims to: 

• Prioritise delivery of on-site BNG
• Retain  and enhance medium and high distinctiveness units on site in accordance with the mitigation hierarchy
• Secure comprehensive management and monitoring of BNG
• Ensure off-site BNG will be delivered primarily in the same locality, focussed on existing wildlife sites, the Leeds Habitat Network and sites which create a link between existing sites.  

The habitat distinctiveness categories are set out the Biodiversity Metric 4.0 Technical Annex 2 (March 2023)[22] and are as stated below.

The Statutory Biodiversity Metric User Guide (February 2024, updated July 2024) defines distinctiveness as “A measure based on the type of habitat and its distinguishing features. This includes:

• consideration of species richness and rarity
• the extent to which the habitat is protected by designations
• the degree to which a habitat supports species rarely found in other habitats.”

National Policy

NPPF paragraphs:             8c, 9, 11, 20d, 125a), 125b), 187, 188, 192, 193,

Measurement of Policy

The is no current monitoring indicator for BNG.

The monitoring indicator is proposed to be:

1. Net gain in biodiversity through development

Implementation of Policy

Alongside the legal requirements for development to meet a minimum of 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) we propose new policy setting out how this will be applied and prioritised within Leeds .  Comprehensive measurements of biodiversity levels before and after the proposed development will expected to be submitted as part of a planning application, using the latest version of Natural England’s Biodiversity Metric and setting out where losses and gains will occur.  Furthermore, details of how BNG will be delivered will also be required, along with maintenance and management arrangements to ensure the survival and health of biodiversity for at least 30 years.  BNG should be delivered on-site and the retention and improvement of existing habitats and biodiversity is preferred.   Applicants should show they have fully considered and followed the mitigation hierarchy.  If all biodiversity units cannot be delivered on site for fully justifiable reasons, off-site delivery may be pursued using a sliding scale of priority location, from sites with high strategic significance to those with low.  

 Biodiversity Enhancements for Habitats and Species

Certain types of development are exempt from BNG and yet retaining and enhancing habitats on these development sites is still important.   Seeking enhancements in scale with the proposed development would help to achieve this.

Nesting spaces for swifts was debated in parliamentary on 10th July 2023, where the Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities made it clear that it was the responsibility of local councils to ensure the provision of nesting spaces for swifts and other species features which are not covered in the BNG calculation.  In response to this, the importance of species and the recognition that biodiversity net gain focuses on habitat rather than species, and a significant volume of consultation responses requesting the Council addressed this issue, this policy sets out the features and infrastructure which developments will be expected to include such as integral bat roosts, integral swift bricks, bee bricks and hedgehog highways.

BS 42021:2022 Integral nest boxes is aimed at building integrated nest boxes for Swifts, Starlings, Great Tits, Blue Tits and House Sparrows though other species may potentially use any boxes.  It sets out what types of buildings nest boxes should be installed in, important features and dimensions of the boxes and entrance hole, how interested parties should be consulted and when local authorities should confirm suitable installation.  The British Standard states integral nest boxes shall be installed in buildings dispersed around the development site, indicates what factors should be taken account of, directs where such boxes should and should not be positioned and indicates new residential developments will have a 1:1 ratio of integral nest boxes to dwellings.  Boxes for colonial species shall be installed close together.

We propose to set out new policy that aims to achieve the following:

• To provide biodiversity enhancements for habitats
• To provide biodiversity enhancements for species (including bats and swifts)

Evidence

The Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Exemptions) Regulations 2024[23] and paragraph 17 of Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990[24] set out those developments that are exempt from BNG.  It is likely that land impacted by these types of applications will have biodiversity value and scope to deliver enhancements.

Swifts and house martins are on the UK Red List, having suffered serious declines in recent decades. It is estimated that almost 60% of UK swifts have disappeared over the last 25 years due to factors such as a huge decline of insects, habitat loss, and the impacts of climate change[25].  Similarly, hedgehogs have undergone a long historic decline, though this is particularly in rural areas.  In urban areas, the population is more stable and even showing signs of recovery which highlights the importance of gardens and green spaces, and local action to make urban areas more hedgehog friendly[26].

The National Bat Monitoring Programme Annual Report 2022[27] noted that whilst several bat species remained at risk of extinction, some species were showing signs of slow recovery, including the greater horseshoe and lesser horseshoe bats.  The historical declines have been blamed on more intensive farming methods, along with loss of roosting and foraging habitats, persecution, the use of pesticides, poor water quality, declines in insects, irresponsible development and land-use change.  Despite some recovery, bats remain vulnerable to pressures such as landscape change, unsympathetic development and emerging threats such as new building practices, climate change, wind turbines, light pollution and any potential detrimental changes to regulations, policies and wildlife laws.

There are many guides to providing for species within developments as well as more specific guides to swift bricks.  Some examples are ‘Biodiversity in new housing developments: creating wildlife-friendly communities’ (NHBC, 2021, NF89) [28] and Swift Nest Bricks – installation and suppliers (Swift Conservation)[29].

National Policy

NPPF Paragraphs              8c, 9, 11, 20d, 125a), 125b), 187, 192, 193,

Measurement of Policy

There is no current monitoring indicator for biodiversity enhancement for habitats and species.

The monitoring indicator is proposed to be:

1. Biodiversity enhancements delivered through development

Implementation of Policy

We propose new policy to seek to ensure features and infrastructure that will benefit species such as new integral bat roosts,  swift bricks, bee bricks and hedgehog highways. All new build and alteration schemes should provide integral features for bat roosting and integral Swift Bricks.  We would expect to see details  submitted prior to determination in an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) report and on a General Layout type drawing. Outline applications should commit to providing integral bat roosting and integral Swift Bricks together with an indication of how many. A qualified ecological consultant should assess the site and types of buildings and propose the best type and location of the roosts and bricks in line with best practice guidance and the British Standard.

Food Resilience

Food resilience, in its broadest sense, refers to the ability of individuals, communities, or entire food systems to withstand and adapt to various disruptions and shocks while maintaining access to affordable, safe, and nutritious food. It encompasses the capacity to resist, recover from, and adapt to threats like climate change, economic instability, and geopolitical events.

The UK imports around half of its food and our diets are very varied, demanding a wide range of foodstuffs to be available all year round which has a substantial impact on Climate Change. Added to this is the impact on Climate Change caused by the internal movement of food nationally.

It is for this reason that the Leeds Climate Commission have concluded that growing food locally and reducing food waste are important steps in becoming a zero-carbon city. Food growing can be on a commercial scale i.e., through farming, and on a local community scale, such as allotments, community gardens or forest gardens.

The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan[30] notes that the UK needs to optimise sustainable national food production for both the climate agenda and also to respond to Brexit and make the UK more self-sufficient.

We will ensure that resources from nature, such as food, fish and timber, are used more sustainably and efficiently. We will do this by:

Ensuring that food is produced sustainably and profitably.

It is also noted in the same document that.

Agri-tech developments can significantly improve farm performance, in terms of both profits and the environment.

The Climate Change Emergency, recent pandemic and subsequent cost of living crisis has brought into sharp focus the importance of Food Resilience. As a society we are much more aware factors such as the distance food travels, its availability, its quality and its cost impact on our lives on a day-to-day basis particularly with regard areas of deprivation and malnutrition.

Proposed Updates and Evidence

Our proposed approach is to ensure that there is:

1. Support for sustainable food growing in the district
2. support for innovation and diversity that promotes sustainable food growing
3. support for community food growing
4. A requirement in Policy for fruit trees in new gardens over a certain size

National Policy

NPPF Paragraphs              8b, 8c, 11a, 96c, 98b, 125b, 136,

Measurement of Policy

There is no current monitoring indicator for Food Resilience.

The monitoring indicator is proposed to be:

1. Area of land identified for allotments or community growing spaces. f

Implementation of Policy

A new Policy could set out how new development proposals (where appropriate) can support and encourage improving local Food Resilience in Leeds.  

Open Land (Saved UDP Policy N11)

The Current  Local Plan identifies areas of the district as Open Land. The Plan define these areas as large tracts of open land in the urban areas which represent a major visual amenity. These areas are currently protected from development which would intrude harmfully in important public views of them or which would otherwise adversely affect their contribution to public amenity. 

This section provides more information on the location of the seven sites designated as Open Land by Policy N11 in the Unitary Development Plan (UDP).  The sites are referenced as follows:

N11:1             Owlcotes Hill, Pudsey; 

N11:2             Coal Hill, Rodley; 

N11:3             Haigh Wood, West Ardsley; 

N11:4             Outer Ring Road, Weetwood; 

N11: 5            Outer Ring Road, Moortown; 

N11:7             Kirkstall Valley;

N11:8             Meanwood Valley

Details of Open Land Sites

This section provides more information on the individual N11 sites.  Individual site maps showing the boundary of each site and location of other relevant designation overlapping the site are provided.  Extracts from Volume 1 of the UDP are provided for each site giving the description of the area as it was written at the time of the plan.

Information is then provided setting out an initial desk top assessment of the sites to provide details of  the site area: a brief description of the existing use of the land and it’s characteristics; whether it is greenfield or includes brownfield (previously developed) land; inclusion of Public Rights of Way; overlap with other relevant local plan designations for example green space or nature conservation; and general commentary on whether the use of the land appears to have substantively remained the same since it was designated in the Unitary Development Plan or if there have been any changes to its function which may affect the implementation of the policy. 

An interactive map is also provided showing the N11 sites with overlapping relevant policy designations. This includes the function for the individual policy designations to be switched on or off on the map by selecting the ‘Layers’ tool. 

A more detailed assessment of the function of the land and purpose of Policy N11 will be undertaken prior to the next stage of consultation (Regulation 19). No decision has been reached at this stage on whether any changes are justified to N11 or the site boundaries as this will be informed by the detailed assessment and other supporting evidence.

N11:1 Owlcotes Hill

UDP Volume 1   Extract

Desk Top Assessment

 N11:2 Coal Hill Rodley

UDP Volume 1   Extract

Desk Top Assessment

N11:3 Haigh Wood, West Ardsley

UDP Volume 1   Extract

Desk Top Assessment

N11:4 Outer Ring Road, Weetwood

UDP Volume 1   Extract

Desk Top Assessment

N11:5 Outer Ring Road, Moortown

UDP Volume 1   Extract

Desk Top Assessment

N11:7 Kirkstall Valley

UDP Volume 1   Extract

Desk Top Assessment

N11:8 Meanwood Valley

UDP Volume 1   Extract

Desk Top Assessment

Appendix 1 – Habitat Designations Schedule

 20 May 2025 

A review and update of the latest Policy G8 Designations and descriptions to take account of the 2006 Defra Local Sites Guidance. Link to Policies Map.

Special Area of Protection SPA/Special Area of Conservation SAC (European Statutory Designation) 

Sites of Special Scientific Interest SSSI (National Statutory Designation)

Note for LCC Development Management on use of this Schedule

A review of the saved non-statutory designated sites from the 2006 UDP has been completed in partnership with West Yorkshire Ecology Service. This involved reassessing every LNA and SEGI against the West Yorkshire Local Wildlife Sites Criteria. Any LNAs or SEGIs that have met the relevant Criteria are now called Local Wildlife Sites - or where reassessed sites have not met the Criteria they have been removed from the Schedule and Policies Map (when next updated), but may still receive a similar degree of protection under LPU emerging Policy G8b Leeds Habitat Network. There is an Audit Trail Document for all Designated Habitat Sites from the 2006 UDP to present day available on request from the EDG Nature Team – which explains any changes since 2006.

Local Wildlife Sites (West Yorkshire non-statutory designation)

Local Geology Sites (West Yorkshire non-statutory designation)

Local Nature Reserves 

(Statutory designation - National Parks & Access to the Countryside Act)

 Appendix 2 – Audit Trail for Habitat Designations 

Audit Trail for Habitat Designations from saved UDP Policy N50 to Emerging Leeds Local Plan – 20 May 2025

Sites of Special Scientific Interest SSSI (nationally important, statutory designation)

Sites of Ecological or Geological Interest (as per 2006 UDP) – all to be removed from Policies lan when next updated after Feb 2023

Leeds Nature Areas (as per 2006 UDP) – all to be removed from Policies Plan when next updated after Feb 2023

Local Wildlife Sites (West Yorkshire scale of importance, non-statutory designation)

Local Geology Sites (West Yorkshire scale of importance, non-statutory designation)

Local Nature Reserves (Statutory designation - National Parks & Access to the Countryside Act)

Appendix 3 – Leeds Habitat Network Update 2023 – Methodology Note

Method

The existing Leeds Habitat Network (LHN) has been updated to recognise where planned and developed buildings and infrastructure have altered the existing network, and with several key changes as described below, in order to provide greater transparency to the reasons for inclusion of individual land parcels.

The network has defined “nodes” represented by statutory and district designated sites, and “links” representing continuous stretches of permeable habitat for nature conservation and movement of species. Where continuous habitat links are not currently possible, “stepping stone” sites have been identified as potential network opportunities.

Nodes include internationally and nationally designated sites (Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation and Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and local sites for nature conservation (Local Nature Reserves and Local Wildlife Sites). The boundaries of these sites often overlap and not always for the full extent of each site, therefore the combined boundaries are assumed to represent each Node. The LHN Nodes are typically a mosaic of habitats and are not further defined.

The LHN links have been defined under five broad habitat types: grassland, woodland, wetland, heathland and ‘other’ (miscellaneous land parcels such as open mosaic habitats on previously developed land, that have nature conservation benefits in their location within the network). Where habitat mosaic occurs, for example mature trees over amenity grassland or scrub over semi-improved grassland, a judgement has been made to include the land parcel in the recognised main habitat of interest, noting that this may change with time and management.

Links have been defined according to their role within the network, broadly under the following categories:

• Adjacent or close link to one or more Node sites, representing a buffer and /or network opportunity to that site for species movement
• Long-Established Woodland (provisional) as defined for the Natural England Ancient Woodland update
• Network strength, representing key link(s) within the network, removal of which would significantly fragment or weaken the LHN in a particular area
• Habitat diversity, representing link(s) which improve the diversity of the network within the LHN in a particular area, considering Nodes or other strong network links that are present

• Network opportunity, representing areas with beneficial nature conservation sites that are currently not strongly linked to the LHN, for example more isolated ‘stepping stone’ sites or poorly established links.

The incorporation of links into the network has been based on judgement of a number of factors, including the habitat type (and the potential for movement of species typically associated with such habitats) and proximity of other links or nodes. The pressure on wildlife from the density of the built environment and private gardens has been taken to increase the value of some of the remaining public open space for wildlife. 

As a guide adjacent or close links to Nodes are considered to be those within 100m, whilst other links have been selected typically no more than 250m of the existing network. 

Roads, buildings and domestic gardens are generally excluded from the LHN.

The existing LHN automatically included undeveloped areas of Flood Zone 2 and 3 which had not been subject to a detailed assessment in relation to habitat value. Such areas were removed from the base map for the update, replaced by a detailed assessment of the value of the land against the habitat types set out in this note.   

Otherwise, the existing LHN has been used as the basis for the update, as far as possible fitting to the OS Mastermap (November 2022). Node site boundaries have not been fitted to the current version of Mastermap but have been accepted as published.

The GIS software MapInfo Pro v17.04 has been used, with reference to: 

• On-line aerial photography (Bing, Google maps, Gridreferencefinder.com), 
• Data held by WYES including Phase 1 Habitat Survey (1990) mapping, former Sites of Ecological and Geological Importance (SEGI) and former Leeds Nature Areas (LNA), 
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment zones (SFRA, Environment Agency, 2022) and Leeds City Council Flood Risk ZONE 3b (in part) and 

• Data provided by Leeds City Council (Allocation plan exclusions, Paul Bingham, Leeds City Council) (Strategic Green Infrastructure mapping) (East Leeds Orbital Route, draft and mapped separately) (Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan) (TPO/Conservation Area)

Habitat types - inclusions

• Woodland: Broad-leaved/ mixed woodland, including ancient semi-natural and replanted woodland, Long-Established Woodland (1854), traditional orchards; dense scrub and hedgerows
• Grassland: species-rich semi-improved and unimproved grassland, including upland hay meadow; lowland meadow; lowland dry acid grassland, in-bye grassland supporting SPA Upland Breeding Bird Assemblage;
• Heathland: upland and lowland dry and wet heathland; bog habitats, including blanket bog; purple moor grass; upland flushes, fens & swamps; bracken
• Wetland: rivers/ becks (including culverted stretches), canals, ponds, lakes, lowland fen, floodplain grazing marsh, reedbeds

• Other: seasonally inundated land (arable fields, small areas of grass, shrubs and wood with nature conservation value, not otherwise identified), quarries, open mosaics on previously developed land, bare ground (natural surfaces, as identified on aerial photos and in mosaic with supporting habitat for invertebrates).

Information for GIS datasets (column headings) – Nodes

• Site_Name: (Char250)
• Node_UID: (Char10) (prefixed with N=node)
• Designation: (Char 100) principal designation, SPA/SAC/SSSI, Local Nature Reserves, Local Wildlife Sites
• Habitat_type: (Char254) Habitat description commonly using the Phase 1 descriptions where possible (if more information is required add into notes).

• Area: (Decimal 20.2)

Information for GIS datasets (column headings) - Links

• Broad_habitat: (Char20) -woodland, grassland, wetland, heathland, other
• Habitat_type: (Char160) Habitat description commonly using the Phase 1 descriptions where possible (if more information is required add into notes).
• Node_or_Link: (Char20) Links include all other connecting habitat & are in separate layers
• UID: (Char10) (prefixed with W=Woodland, R=Wetland, G=Grassland, H=Heath, M=Other)
• (Temp: Char 160) – working edits to delete in final
• Area (Decimal 20.2)
• Link_Primary: (Char 80) Brief description of main function of the habitat unit within the network: includes phrases-
  • “Adjacent to Node” -  where the habitat unit is within 25m of the Node
  • “Link to Node Nxxx / Long Established Woodland” -  typically used where the habitat unit is within 100m of the Node or LEW unit
  •  “Network strength” where removal of the habitat unit would significantly affect the integrity of the network
  • “Habitat diversity” where two or more habitat links are present, so representing an enhancement for species using the network
  •  “Network opportunity” for current ‘dead-ends’ (includes lots of LEW sites)
• Link_Secondary: (Char 160) as for Primary, where additional function identified
• Additional_Notes: (Char 254) further description and justifications of assessed land parcels and observations.

West Yorkshire Ecology and Leeds City Council

September 2023