Developers have been told to up their game over the number of family properties they include in major housing schemes.

Leeds City councillors say they’re fed up with “compromising” over three-bed homes, of which there’s felt to be a serious shortage locally.

It comes as the proposed redevelopment of an old industrial site on Kirkstall Road stalled, mainly because of that issue.

More than 600 new dwellings have been earmarked for the old Arla Foods site, around a quarter-of-a-mile from Leeds’ western ring road.

But a city council’s plans panel delayed a decision on the plans at a meeting on Thursday, amid frustration that just 10 per cent of the proposed homes would be three-beds.

The council asks developers to ensure at least 20 per cent of any new homes are three-beds, but has frequently accepted schemes with fewer in recent years.

This is often because property builders insist their developments aren’t viable otherwise, with smaller one-bed homes making them more money.

But in a scathing attack on the industry as a whole at Thursday’s meeting, Conservative councillor Dan Cohen said too many schemes weren’t getting “anywhere near” the target.

He told the proceedings: “We’ve said what we believe is the right number of bedrooms that should be included in developments that come forward.

“I’m not going to celebrate the snail-paced movement towards this, because it’s just not good enough.

“We need more three-bedroom properties across the city in these developments, but particularly in the centre.”