York resolves to bring forward revised local plan due to concerns over housing figures

The Council had prepared a draft local plan document to guide development in the city until 2030, which was due to be published for consultation in the autumn. The draft plan proposed the delivery of 996 new homes per year over the planning period, with more than 60 sites allocated for housing development.

Councillor Ann Reid submitted a motion for consideration at a full Council meeting on 9 October, raising concern that the draft plan would not pass the 'test of soundness' under the UK government's National Planning Policy Framework.

The motion said that the draft plan: was "not based on objectively assessed requirements" because it "does not accurately reflect the evidence base"; was "not the most appropriate strategy" because reasonable alternative strategies had not been fully considered; and was "not deliverable over the plan period".

Reid's motion called for the proposed consultation to be halted, for officers to be instructed to produce a new report on housing trajectory and for a new proposed local plan document to be brought forward following the agreement of "an accurate analysis of housing trajectory that is objective, evidence based and deliverable" by the Council's local plan working group.

According to the Planning Magazine report, the motion was passed at the meeting last week, after lord mayor Ian Gillies cast the deciding vote in its favour.

"We can confirm that following full council, planned consultation on the local plan has been halted", said a Council spokesperson, according to Planning Magazine. "Officers will now work to present available options to members for approval. We cannot confirm timescales for this at this time."