S13 Green Belt: Thursday 9 Oct Update
We’re getting ready for next Monday’s Local Plan Hearings, but first, here’s a quick recap of what happened during Week 1.
Week 1 Summary
The first week of the Local Plan hearings opened at Sheffield Town Hall, with the Council presenting proposals for 14 Green Belt sites - nearly half of all new housing allocations concentrated in Handsworth.
Our planning and legal team (James Bailey Planning Ltd and Rowan Clapp of Cornerstone Barristers) attended the first two days, raising concerns about transparency, air quality, and the way development sites have been selected.
Day 2 focused heavily on transport and site access, where the Council confirmed these issues would only be assessed later, at planning application stage. Questions were also raised about the inclusion of fenced-off school grounds and private playing fields in “open space” figures.
Flood-risk modelling came under close scrutiny too, and the Inspector pressed the Council to explain why 11 additional sites promoted during consultation had not been appraised.
Across the week, the Inspector repeatedly challenged the Council on missing evidence, inconsistent data, and unclear justifications for key assumptions - signalling that much more detail will be needed as the hearings continue.
What’s next?
The hearings resume on Monday, 13 October, with the focus shifting to Handsworth. On that day, Inspector Katie Child will hear evidence relating to the Finchwell and Bramley/Beaver sites.
👉 If you’d like to watch, we’ve created a dedicated page with the full agenda and YouTube livestream links so you can follow the sessions remotely:
https://saves13greenbelt.org.uk/hearing-streams
The hearings will then continue until 17 October, before pausing and concluding on 21 November.
The Hearings: News Articles
Week 1 of the hearings has sparked wide media interest, with coverage appearing in both local and national outlets. Here’s a selection of some of the stories we found most interesting:
The Star: Campaigners question Sheffield Council on green belt plans
The Scottish Farmer: Farmer pleads with Sheffield City Council over threat to home
You can explore all the latest coverage on our website’s Press Articles page, where we’re adding new pieces every day as they come in.
👍 Support the cause
Photo competition
Don’t forget our photo competition. We’re looking for photos of our beautiful S13 green belt to include in our 2026 calendar.
See competition details on the website.
Details on how to buy the 2026 calendar in local shops, ready for Christmas, will follow shortly.
Contact
If you want to get in touch please email us at either:
info@saves13greenbelt.org.uk - email the working group.
website@saves13greenbelt.org.uk - suggestions/additions to the website.
