Opposition Lib Dem Councillors have expressed their anger at the Labour-led authority’s refusal to disclose the green belt sites which are being considered for development.

Last month Labour’s housing chief revealed that 117 sites in Sheffield’s Green Belt are being considered for development, but would not confirm the specific locations.

Lib Dem Cllr Steve Ayris subsequently asked for the information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act – however the council have today (4/8/15) responded to Cllr Ayris refusing to provide the information. Their argument for refusal is that disclosing the sites is not in the public interest at this time as the details would be published in the future.

These sites make up over half of the 206 total sites submitted for consideration. 106 of these sites are wholly in the Green Belt with a further 11 partly in the Green Belt and are spread all across the city.

Cllr Steve Ayris, Shadow cabinet member for housing said: –

Local people are being left in the dark over the future of their green spaces.

Of course it is in the public interest to know the locations of these sites. The council acknowledges in their response that the public will want to know the location of these sites – yet they have decided not to tell us.  Residents deserve to know now whether green spaces in their local area are at risk from being developed or not.

It is highly worrying that these sites are even being considered for housing sites when so much brownfield land is available and I suspect the council are aware of that, which is why they are reluctant to tell the public.

Lib Dem deputy Leader Cllr Penny Baker said: –

Leaving people in the dark about their local environment is typical of the arrogance we have all come to expect from Sheffield Council under Julie Dore’s leadership.

They are trying to shut local people out of the decision making process again. Whether its libraries, bus services, trees or green belt land, Labour just aren’t interested in hearing what local people have to say.