Agenda item

7.1

It was moved by Councillor Martin Smith, and seconded by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, that this Council:-

(a)      notes that the population of Sheffield is predicted to grow by approximately 90,000 over the next twenty years and a shortage of decent housing will have a profound effect on economic growth, social mobility and health;

(b)      agrees that Sheffield will require more than 40,000 new homes over the next 20 years;

(c)      agrees that the location, mix and affordability of that housing will have a huge impact on the future prosperity and quality of life for its citizens;

(d)      notes that the Local Plan has been in development since 2012, with delay after delay leaving Sheffield in a position where we will become increasingly defenceless against inappropriate development;

(e)      notes the overwhelming public response to the 2020 Issues & Options Consultation in favour of higher density, walkable neighbourhoods primarily focussed in and around the city centre and Attercliffe;

(f)       further notes that development in these locations are particularly sustainable due to excellent transport links and existing infrastructure, and with good opportunities for affordable and accessible housing;

(g)      agrees that it must listen to the people of Sheffield and commits to developing a Local Plan based on this spatial strategy; and

(h)      further commits to issuing the draft Local Plan for consultation within the next six months.

7.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Julie Grocutt, and seconded by Councillor Mark Jones, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (d) and (h), the re-lettering of original paragraphs (e) to (g) as new paragraphs (d) to (f), and the addition of new paragraphs (g) to (o) as follows:-

(g)      notes that due to the importance of protecting green spaces, the Council, under the previous Administration, undertook work to determine how the new homes in central Sheffield can be maximised - and following this work, Sheffield City Council produced a plan to meet the already high target of 40,000 new homes, whilst protecting the green belt;

(h)      reaffirms support for this approach, which would have delivered the correct number of homes for the city, whilst ensuring building in the right locations;

(i)       notes with real concern that cities in the North are now being forced by the Government to adhere to unrealistic house building targets, due to a U-turn which, we believe, was enacted to protect shires in the South;

(j)       notes that as a result of the Government’s U-turn, Sheffield will now face a 35% increase in its nationally determined targets for new housing delivery;

(k)      believes that these Government-imposed targets are not appropriate to the scale of need, and threaten Sheffield’s green belt, as well as undermining the good work undertaken by the Council in preparing a plan which would have provided enough homes and in the right locations;

(l)       notes that Sheffield City Council’s Planning Committee has rejected a number of planning applications on green spaces, including in Loxley Valley, but the Government might in the future try and force through similar development, as they seek to take even more control on planning matters away from local councils;

(m)     believes that Sheffield facing a 35% increase on targets by the Government is a real concern for protecting our green spaces and will have an impact to the city’s ecology and wildlife;

(n)      commits to challenging the Government and to making sure that we enact a Local Plan that delivers for Sheffield; and

(o)      asks that a copy of the notice of motion is sent to Government to highlight our position, and to all Sheffield MP's, calling on them to stand up for Sheffield and fight in Parliament the unrealistically high housing demands imposed by the Government.

7.3

It was then moved by Councillor Brian Holmshaw, and seconded by Councillor Douglas Johnson, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (i) to (l) as follows:-

(i)       believes that Sheffield’s Local Plan must include higher environmental and carbon reduction standards and stronger rules on affordable homes than at present;

(j)       believes that more housing is required – but it must be the right housing, of the right size, in the right place; that the target “number of dwellings” does nothing to address the complexity of housing need and that, whether set locally or nationally, any targets must be broken down by size of dwelling;

(k)      believes there needs to be more good quality, affordable housing to rent and more social housing; and

(l)       therefore recommends that the “affordable-free zone” for developers in the city centre, where profits go out of the city and few affordable homes are built, is removed.

7.4

It was then moved by Councillor Sophie Thornton, and seconded by Councillor Mohammed Mahroof, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (i) to (l) as follows:-

(i)       notes that Option A from the 2020 Issues & Options consultation provides a way of meeting the Council's housing forecast without building new houses on green field sites within the Green Belt and therefore commits to basing the draft Local Plan on that option;

(j)       believes that the previous Administration repeatedly ducked responsibility and postponed key decisions until just after local elections and therefore commits to issuing the draft Local Plan for consultation before next May;

(k)      further agrees that the Council must publish a timetable to produce an adopted local plan, with a firm commitment to a final date of publication; and

(l)       requests the Co-operative Executive to form a task and finish group immediately to deliver up to 2,500 houses in Attercliffe; using the Council’s Compulsory Purchase Order powers if necessary, including as many affordable homes as possible in order to provide the homes the people of Sheffield need.

7.5

After contributions from four other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Martin Smith, the amendment moved by Councillor Julie Grocutt was put to the vote and was carried, except for the proposed deletion of paragraph (d) of the Motion, which was negatived and thus paragraph (d) of the Motion was retained.

7.6

The amendment moved by Councillor Brian Holmshaw was then put to the vote and was carried.

7.6.1

(NOTE: Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Richard Shaw, Sophie Thornton, Bob McCann, Ann Woolhouse, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Alan Woodcock, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, Penny Baker, Richard Williams, Alan Hooper, Mike Levery and Ann Whitakervoted for paragraphs (i) and (k) and abstained from voting on paragraphs (j) and (l) of the amendment, and asked for this to be recorded.)

7.7

The amendment moved by Councillor Sophie Thornton was then put to the vote and was negatived.

7.7.1

The votes on the amendment moved by Councillor Sophie Thornton were ordered to be recorded and were as follows:-

For the amendment (27)

-

Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Richard Shaw, Sophie Thornton, Bob McCann, Ann Woolhouse, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Alan Woodcock, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, Penny Baker, Richard Williams, Alan Hooper, Mike Levery and Ann Whitaker.

Against the amendment (43)

-

The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Sioned-Mair Richards) and Councillors Chris Rosling-Josephs, Denise Fox, Bryan Lodge, Karen McGowan, Angela Argenzio, Brian Holmshaw, Talib Hussain, Mark Jones, Douglas Johnson, Ruth Mersereau, Martin Phipps, Ruth Milsom, Zahira Naz, Abdul Khayum, Abtisam Mohamed, Alexi Dimond, Cate McDonald, Paul Turpin, Christine Gilligan, George Lindars-Hammond, Josie Paszek, Terry Fox, Anne Murphy, Tony Downing, Maroof Raouf, Alison Teal, Ben Miskell, Jack Scott, Sophie Wilson, Mike Drabble, Dianne Hurst, Dawn Dale, Peter Price, Garry Weatherall, Mike Chaplin, Jayne Dunn, Julie Grocutt, Ben Curran, Bernard Little, Mick Rooney, Jackie Satur and Paul Wood.

Abstained from voting on the amendment (2)

-

The Lord Mayor (Councillor Gail Smith) and Councillor Lewis Chinchen.

7.8

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)      notes that the population of Sheffield is predicted to grow by approximately 90,000 over the next twenty years and a shortage of decent housing will have a profound effect on economic growth, social mobility and health;

(b)      agrees that Sheffield will require more than 40,000 new homes over the next 20 years;

(c)      agrees that the location, mix and affordability of that housing will have a huge impact on the future prosperity and quality of life for its citizens;

(d)      notes that the Local Plan has been in development since 2012, with delay after delay leaving Sheffield in a position where we will become increasingly defenceless against inappropriate development;

(e)      notes the overwhelming public response to the 2020 Issues & Options Consultation in favour of higher density, walkable neighbourhoods primarily focussed in and around the city centre and Attercliffe;

(f)       further notes that development in these locations are particularly sustainable due to excellent transport links and existing infrastructure, and with good opportunities for affordable and accessible housing;

(g)      agrees that it must listen to the people of Sheffield and commits to developing a Local Plan based on this spatial strategy;

(h)      notes that due to the importance of protecting green spaces, the Council, under the previous Administration, undertook work to determine how the new homes in central Sheffield can be maximised - and following this work, Sheffield City Council produced a plan to meet the already high target of 40,000 new homes, whilst protecting the green belt;

(i)       reaffirms support for this approach, which would have delivered the correct number of homes for the city, whilst ensuring building in the right locations;

(j)       notes with real concern that cities in the North are now being forced by the Government to adhere to unrealistic house building targets, due to a U-turn which, we believe, was enacted to protect shires in the South;

(k)      notes that as a result of the Government’s U-turn, Sheffield will now face a 35% increase in its nationally determined targets for new housing delivery;

(l)       believes that these Government-imposed targets are not appropriate to the scale of need, and threaten Sheffield’s green belt, as well as undermining the good work undertaken by the Council in preparing a plan which would have provided enough homes and in the right locations;

(m)     notes that Sheffield City Council’s Planning Committee has rejected a number of planning applications on green spaces, including in Loxley Valley, but the Government might in the future try and force through similar development, as they seek to take even more control on planning matters away from local councils;

(n)      believes that Sheffield facing a 35% increase on targets by the Government is a real concern for protecting our green spaces and will have an impact to the city’s ecology and wildlife;

(o)      commits to challenging the Government and to making sure that we enact a Local Plan that delivers for Sheffield;

(p)      asks that a copy of the notice of motion is sent to Government to highlight our position, and to all Sheffield MP's, calling on them to stand up for Sheffield and fight in Parliament the unrealistically high housing demands imposed by the Government;

(q)      believes that Sheffield’s Local Plan must include higher environmental and carbon reduction standards and stronger rules on affordable homes than at present;

(r)       believes that more housing is required – but it must be the right housing, of the right size, in the right place; that the target “number of dwellings” does nothing to address the complexity of housing need and that, whether set locally or nationally, any targets must be broken down by size of dwelling;

(s)      believes there needs to be more good quality, affordable housing to rent and more social housing; and

(t)       therefore recommends that the “affordable-free zone” for developers in the city centre, where profits go out of the city and few affordable homes are built, is removed.

7.8.1

(NOTE: 1. Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Richard Shaw, Sophie Thornton, Bob McCann, Ann Woolhouse, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Alan Woodcock, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, Penny Baker, Richard Williams, Alan Hooper, Mike Levery and Ann Whitaker voted for paragraphs (a) to (q) and (s) of the Substantive Motion, and abstained from voting on paragraphs (r) and (t) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.

2. Councillor Lewis Chinchen voted for paragraphs (a) to (f) and (q) of the Substantive Motion, voted against paragraphs (j) and (m) of the Substantive Motion, and abstained from voting on paragraphs (g) to (i), (k), (l), (n) to (p) and (r) to (t) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)