Sheffield City Council is seeking government help to resolve a dispute over its Local Plan, which sets out where homes, employment sites and infrastructure should be built. The plan has become controversial because it proposes using 14 Green Belt sites, prompting strong opposition from residents and campaigners, while the council says it must meet housing targets set during the planning examination.

Government inspectors asked Sheffield to provide about 3,500 additional homes and more employment land, taking the proposed total to roughly 38,000 homes by 2039. The council argues that relying only on previously developed land would not meet these requirements, but opponents say alternative brownfield sites should be considered and that development is being concentrated unfairly in particular communities. The plan remains subject to consultation, inspector recommendations and formal adoption.