Cross-party allegations as Sheffield councillors agree controversial Green Belt housing plan
Accusations of cowardice and political opportunism were made in the Sheffield council chamber as members voted through a plan to build 3,500 homes in the city’s Green Belt.
An extraordinary meeting of Sheffield City Council yesterday (May 14) agreed to the proposal to put forward 10 sites for housing, three for employment opportunities and one mixed site.
The decision came as a result of government inspectors deciding that a draft Sheffield Plan, setting out where all types of developments will be allowed until 2039, did not include enough housing allocation and said it must increase by 3,539 homes.
The inspectors told the council to consider Green Belt sites at the edge of the city, so that more family homes could be built.
The plan does not include the Peak District National Park within the city borders.
The vote was 45-31, with 4 abstentions. LibDems, Sheffield Community Group councillors and independent Qais Al-Ahdal voted against, Labour councillor Alison Norris said during the debate that she would abstain and another Labour member, Craig Gamble Pugh, said he could not support it.
Council leader Coun Tom Hunt said: “We haven’t had a plan since 2009. This means we’re not in control of development in the city, we’re at risk of unplanned development and homes that come without infrastructure.
Target
“Taking this decision today is a step towards more affordable homes, homes and infrastructure coming together, more brownfield regeneration, good quality developments that meet the golden rules.”
The golden rules are government principles for housing development.
They include prioritising brownfield and ‘grey belt’ (previously developed green belt), a target of 50% affordable homes, development of infrastructure such as school and GP places and green space improvements.
“It’s a step towards getting people in this city the chance of a good quality home, a step towards people having a fair go in life. I know this is hard but if we reject the plan, then we will need to increase the housing numbers – likely we will have to release more green sites.
“So I say to people who may be thinking about opposing this today, and if you are against these sites, then where would you build? We have all sat and looked at maps, walked these sites, but politics is about making choices, not sitting on the sidelines.”
He said that the LibDems’ manifesto for home-building was 380,000 a year, considerably higher than the government target: “You all campaigned on that platform – how on earth do you think you would be able to achieve that without having a Local Plan in place?”
He told new LibDem leader Coun Martin Smith, who chairs the council’s economic development and skills policy committee: “It is simply not credible to talk about backing growth in this city without being prepared to take difficult choices that will lead us to growth.”
Bold
Coun Hunt said that in the 1960s the city took “incredibly bold steps” to plan new developments in the Mosborough Townships, building tens of thousands of homes to meet the needs of the city, and built new homes in Gleadless Valley.
“They gave opportunities for our parents, our grandparents and for some of us here today. We owe it to the next generation to build the new homes that we need. We’ve built sustainable neighbourhoods before, we can do it again – let’s not waste this opportunity.”
Seconding the proposal, outgoing Green Party leader Coun Douglas Johnson said his party oppose building in the Green Belt. “It is important for climate change and the climate emergency that we should build in city centres so that people can walk to work from warm, well-insulated homes rather than having to drive in from the outskirts of the city.
“But we are in this position – the developers and the landowners are circling and what they want is to have a really weak Local Plan. At the moment the council has to try and bat off these planning applications, right across the city, and increasingly in the Green Belt itself, with a very old Local Plan, dating back to 1998.
“That doesn’t stand up in the way that we need it to.” He said that councillors have criticised the Labour leadership for not getting a Local Plan together “for years and years and years”. He said the risk of not voting it through is “absolutely catastrophic”.
LibDem deputy leader Coun Penny Baker said that the Labour Party had approached all parties to see what suggestions they had in response to the inspectors’ decision.
Listen
She said they came up with “lots of ideas, suggestions, red lines” but when the Local Plan came out they weren’t there. “We know where the red lines are because they’ve been very well crossed.
“If you ask people their opinion, if you consult with people, you should listen to them when they come back to you.”
Throwing down a copy of the plan, she said: “And if you don’t, you have to accept that they get annoyed.”
She added: “This isn’t our Local Plan, this is your Local Plan.”
Coun Ben Miskell responded: “You could have brought forward an alternative plan — even at the 11th hour here today — but instead, you’ve withdrawn your support at the very last minute, having backed the plan all the way up to now. Having been party of each and every discussion in our cross-party administration.
“Lord Mayor, I would argue this is sheer political opportunism.”
Coun Terry Fox of the Sheffield Community Councillors group said: “I didn’t vote for this the last time and there’s nothing I would vote for this time. If we accept this, we are turning bulldozers on to our communities.
“I say that with experience. In the ward I represent, more than 1,000 homes have been built with not one extra school place. No extra dentists, no extra doctors.”
He said tenants on the Manor Estate told him that a two or three-bed rented home costs more than £1,000 a month and rents are £1,400 to £1,600 for a three or four-bed home. “I’d love to hear what people think is affordable housing in today’s world.”
He urged: “The Green Party should stand with their colleagues who have stood against building in the Green Belt. Today we will see them turn turkey.”
Labour member Craig Gamble Pugh said he “felt a little bit sick” when he saw how much Green Belt housing is proposed for S13 in his East Ecclesfield ward and could not support the motion. “I say to constituents I know how you feel, I live slap bang between the two big housing sites that are proposed, so I’m worried as well.
“I’m really glad that my constituents have come today to describe the things that they’re worried about – the loss of livelihoods, wildlife, green space, urban sprawl, the rat running, road safety, GP and dentist places – these are things we need to solve.”