‘City must shake up approach to planning’
A WEST Yorkshire city needs to shake up its approach to urban planning if it is to compete with its Northern counterparts, warn planning and property experts.
Compared to Manchester, Leeds lags behind in terms of new homes that are being completed and also its approach to differing markets.
According to a Deloitte survey, Manchester had 6,963 residential units under construction last year – and Leeds had just 619. It also had 39 new starts on housing schemes whereas Leeds had 16.
Developments in the city are currently targeted towards students, singles and couples in high-rise apartment blocks, forcing young families and retired people into the suburbs.
Jonathan Morgan, managing director of letting agent Morgan City Living, said: “Manchester has a huge Northern gateway plan.
“It has an upmarket private rented sector, a sensible number of private for sale and affordable council-type housing on the edge of the city. They have covered all bases, really.
“Here, we are struggling to make the private rented sector (PRS) work as there isn’t currently the belief in rents that there is in Manchester. This will definitely come in time. The PRS should also be looking to invest in more traditional house types in the inner and outer suburbs, where markets are equally starved of supply.”
Councillor Peter Gruen from Leeds City Council’s plans panel aired concern at a previous meeting over the large volume of applications for student accommodation and the need for a survey of what is available and where the council needs to act.
However, the statistics are unfair as Manchester is a smaller city, says Councillor Richard Lewis, member for regeneration, transport and planning, who added: “We are keen to get families in. It is the way forward but it is not an easy fix.”