Local Plan and Tetley Field - how to take part

There are some misunderstandings floating around about this topic. Please read the below, especially if you have an interest in the Tetley Field site. If you have any questions please contact us directly. We will keep sharing about this topic over the next couple of weeks, including an explanation of how sites are scored.

As your local councillors we often get asked how decisions are made about where new homes, parks, roads, and schools go. Or why certain buildings can (or can’t) be put up in a particular area. One key policy document that helps determine these things is the Local Plan.

What is a Local Plan?

A Local Plan is the blueprint for how Leeds will grow and develop over the next 10–20 years. It sets out:

• Where new housing will be built

• What land is protected (like green space or heritage sites)

• Where jobs and businesses will be located

• What kind of infrastructure (schools, transport, healthcare) we need to support growth

• Policies on climate change, design, and sustainability

Think of it as a set of guidelines for planning decisions across the city.

Why does it matter now? Tetley Field

Leeds has to do a call for sites for development as part of the Local Plan. This is a very normal process that is repeated relatively regularly. The public and developers can put in ideas for spaces that they want to see developed on (or want to develop themselves) and the council gets resident’s opinions. In the past across the city this has made for some excellent site ideas and some great development. It is because we have to have a land supply several years into the future to make sure we can keep building as the population increases.

However, in this instance, an individual (or a developer) has suggested that Tetley field is a great option for development. The council can’t pull it out of the consultation as all sites that are suggested have to be considered. So we need you to put your comments in please.

You can respond to any part of the consultation here.

But we are especially asking people to share their views on Tetley Field here.

It's very important and quite unique for local biodiversity, and has a long history of recreational use. We've supported housing developments across our area - especially on brownfield sites - but in this case we think it would mean losing an important amenity both for people and nature.

To be clear - this is not a planning application. It's just a proposal for the field to be considered suitable for development. The council is not proposing we build on it. But the result of the consultation will affect how likely it is to be considered suitable to build on.

Guidance on how to comment

Please don't hold back from commenting now, using the link above. Here's our guide to commenting effectively:

Focus on material considerations like:

• Loss of biodiversity or natural habitats

• Impact on landscape character or views

• Flood risk or drainage concerns

• Pressure on local roads, traffic congestion, or lack of public transport

• Lack of infrastructure to support new homes

• Impact on local heritage or conservation areas

  
  

Be specific:

This process is all about hearing from local residents. So use your local knowledge! Talk about your road, talk about how you use the site, talk about specific nature you've observed there, talk about what it means to your life. Make it clear that this isn't a random patch of grass!