Housing delivery in the north of England is being “pared back” as councils in the region adopt a “do-the-minimum” way of measuring housing need, according to a consultant in the region.

Manchester-based Turley said the government’s methodology for calculating minimum housing need in its National Planning Policy Framework was “inadvertently encouraging a ‘do minimum’ approach across councils”.

Turley cited Leeds, which earlier this year removed more than 30 green-belt sites from its redevelopment plan, and Greater Manchester, whose latest proposals on housing delivery suggested 10,578 homes being built a year, 782 lower than the 11,360 figure outlined in its 2016 local plan.