York council may have to withdraw its Local Plan after inspectors criticise its Green Belt boundaries

A Yorkshire council's bid to set out its planning vision for the next two decades has suffered a major setback after government inspectors questioned the way it had drawn up the city boundaries.

City of York Council may be forced to withdraw its Local Plan from examination because of concerns about "intrinsic flaws" in the methodology used to decide the area which should be designated as protected Green Belt land.

The council was one of two in Yorkshire to be warned in 2018 by then-Communities Secretary Sajid Javid over its "persistent failure" to finalise a Local Plan, which sets strategic priorities for the whole city and forms the basis for planning decisions.

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The proposed plan, finally submitted in May 2018, looks to deliver over 20,000 homes over the next 20 years, including up to 4,000 more affordable homes, creating around 650 new jobs per year, whilst defining the Green Belt boundaries in planning law, for the first time since the 1950s.

York city centre. City of York Council was one of two in the region admonished by the Government in 2018 for failing to make enough progress on its Local Plan.York city centre. City of York Council was one of two in the region admonished by the Government in 2018 for failing to make enough progress on its Local Plan.
York city centre. City of York Council was one of two in the region admonished by the Government in 2018 for failing to make enough progress on its Local Plan.
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But following months of planning hearings, government inspectors Simon Berkeley and Andrew McCormack have written to the council to say the way it has decided on the boundary between the city and the Green Belt is "not adequately robust".

Describing "intrinsic flaws embedded in the methodology", the letter says there are "serious concerns about the justification for the precise Green Belt boundaries proposed in the Local Plan", though they are satisfied with the broad principle of where the boundaries have been drawn up.

The letter says the council now has the option of either trying to explain how the inspectors have misunderstood the methodology, somehow show that the boundaries chosen are sound despite the flaws, or withdraw the Local Plan from examination.

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They wrote: "In light of the difficulties associated with replacing such a fundamental element of the Local Plan’s evidence base, if the council finds itself seriously considering the need for fresh Green Belt boundary assessments, we would recommend withdrawing the Local Plan.

"That would enable the required work to be done alongside any necessary updating of other aspects of the evidence base outside the examination process.

"It strikes us that this would be a more efficient way to proceed and would allow the Local Plan to be re-submitted for examination relatively quickly.

"We recognise that much work has been undertaken by the council in relation to the Green Belt, among other things, and that our views set out above will come as a significant disappointment."

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The council, which has been run by a Liberal Democrat-Green coalition since last summer, says it will "work with the Government inspectors to bring forward a timetable for progressing the Local Plan and provide further details to the proposed Green Belt modifications".

Nigel Ayre, Executive Member for Finance and Performance, said: “We believe that the plan strikes the right balance for the city, our communities and residents of York.

"This plan facilitates economic growth in the city, secures the delivery of sustainable community facilities and delivers the homes that York needs - all whilst protecting York’s Green Belt to maintain the unique and historic character of the city.”

“We have worked hard to develop a plan which addresses the unique needs of the city and prioritises residents’ interests.

"I would like to thank the planning inspectors for their feedback as we look forward to working to progress our plan and deliver a sustainable and economically sound future for our city.”

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