Land at Lofthouse earmarked for new homes

The site allocations plan (SAP) is the city’s new housing master plan, outlining in extensive detail where new homes should be built over the coming decade.

Following a year of disagreements, which culminated in an inquiry into the plans, Leeds City Council this month has finally rubber-stamped the document.

The SAP is split into 10 “housing characteristic areas”, each with their own proposed sites earmarked for housing and employment development.

This article will focus on plans for the “outer south” area.

The boundaries for this centre on the main town of Rothwell, and include smaller settlements, including Lofthouse, Robin Hood and Mickletown, and Methley.

Sites allocated include Hunts Farm in Methley on which 25 homes could be built on a 1.25 hectare area of land.

Another involves land at Main Street and Pit Field Road in Carlton, which covers 1.1 hectares and where 36 homes are being considered.

The biggest development within the plan could be on land between Fleet Lane and Methley Lane, in Oulton, which spans more than 14.9 hectares and could potentially see 339 homes built.

Part of the site at Fleet Lane and Methley Lane should also be reserved for use as a school, according to the document.

As well as housing, the document lists green spaces which should be protected from development, including a second area of land at Main Street and Pit Field Road, Carlton, that should now be safeguarded from development until at least 2028.