Sheffield green belt housing plan: Six week consulation period ahead of public hearings

The controversial plan for more than 3,500 homes to be built was approved by Sheffield City Council this week in the face of opposition by both councillors and protesters.

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An extraordinary meeting of the full council (May 14) voted to “agree that exceptional circumstances now exist to justify the release of greenfield land in Green Belt for new development”.

Most of the Labour group and Green Party members approved the proposal but LibDems and Sheffield Community Group members opposed it. Labour member Coun Craig Gamble Pugh said he would not vote for it and Coun Alison Norris, also Labour, abstained.

The vote was won 45-31, with four abstentions.

The green belt housing sites proposal was drawn up after government planning inspectors examining a draft version of the council’s Sheffield Local Plan told the authority to consider including green belt sites for new family-sized homes following public hearings held last year.

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Inspectors told the council that it needs to identify sites where 3,539 more homes could be built, which would be an increase from 34,680 to 38,012.

The inspectors also want the council to identify an additional 52.8 hectares of the city as employment land, where business developments would be allowed.

The meeting heard from the proposers of three petitions signed by 6,000 people, plus 70 public questions and 20 statements. Objectors included farmers and residents and many people opposed to what one questioner called “the plan to decimate the S13 green belt”, where new 1,738 homes are proposed.

The other main area is S35, where 1,666 homes would be built, plus much of the new land earmarked for creating employment opportunities.

Once adopted, the Local Plan will have legal status and will determine what types of development will be allowed in all parts of the city until 2039.

All changes to the Local Plan now go out to public consultation for six weeks and the inspectors will hold public hearings in the autumn. Objectors can apply to present evidence and speak.

Another round of public consultation would take place in early 2026 before the inspectors issue their final report. Finally, the council would meet to decide whether to adopt the revised plan, now expected to be in force by July 2026.

The public consultation will be launhced at the end of the month - see here for more details.