Agenda and minutes

  The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, particularly the students on the Human Geography and Planning course at Leeds Metropolitan University who were attending the meeting.   For the benefit of the public, Members and Officers were asked to introduce themselves

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct

  The following Members declared personal/prejudicial interests for the purposes of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct

  Application 09/03230/FU – St Peter’s Church Buildings and Chantrell House Kirkgate LS2 – Councillors Hanley and Monaghan declared personal interests through being member of Leeds Civic Trust which had objected to the proposals (minute 67 refers)

  Application 09/03230/FU – St Peter’s Church Buildings and Chantrell House Kirkgate LS2 – Councillor Nash declared a personal interest as a member of English Heritage which had commented on the proposals (minute 67 refers)

  Application 09/03230/FU – St Peter’s Church Buildings and Chantrell House Kirkgate LS2 – Councillor Taggart declared a personal interest through being the Chair of West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee which managed West Yorkshire Archaeological Advisory Service which had commented on the proposals (minute 67 refers)

  Application 09/03230/FU – St Peter’s Church Buildings and Chantrell House Kirkgate LS2 – Councillors Hamilton and Monaghan declared personal interests as a friend lived in St Peter’s Church Buildings (minute 67 refers)

  Application 09/04625/FU – Southern entrance to Railway Station – Councillor Wadsworth declared a personal interest as a member of West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority as the proposals were to be delivered by Network Rail in partnership with Metro (minute 68 refers)

  Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Feldman, Latty and McKenna who were substituted respectively by Councillors Wadsworth, Wilkinson and Taggart

To approve the minutes of the Plans Panel City Centre meeting held on 4^th February 2010

(minutes attached)

  RESOLVED -  That the minutes of the Plans Panel City Centre meeting held on 4^th February 2010 be approved

To consider a position statement of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for change of use including refurbishment and extensions to two church buildings with two flats, to form offices and 20 flats and erect part four, part five storey block comprising office and 31 flats with car parking

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs and graphics including sun path diagrams were displayed at the meeting.  A site visit by Members had taken place earlier in the day

  Officers presented a position statement by the Chief Planning Officer on an application for a change of use including refurbishment and extensions to two church buildings with two flats to form offices and 20 flats and the erection of a part four, part five storey block comprising office and 31 flats with car parking.  Related Conservation Area and Listed Building applications for the demolition of Chantrell House office building and alteration to form new gate to the boundary wall at St Peter’s Church also formed part of the proposals

  Members were informed that the site was set within the Riverside Area as defined by Leeds UDP (Review) 2006 and the City Centre Conservation Area adjacent to the Grade I listed Leeds Parish Church.  The site comprised three buildings; St Peter’s Hall and St Peter’s House, both red brick late 19^th – early 20^th century buildings  and Chantrell House a red brick 1980s three storey office block, together with part of the landscaped church grounds and the parking area to the east of Chantrell House

  The proposals would see complete demolition of Chantrell House and some demolition to St Peter’s Hall and House although the most historic parts of these two properties would be retained

  St Peter’s Hall would be refurbished and extended to provide a four storey building with ground floor office and three floors of residential use comprising three and one bedroom flats together with studio flats

  St Peter’s House would be refurbished and extended to form a residential development of five storey’s and providing one bedroom and studio flats

  Chantrell House would be demolished and a new five storey block comprising offices, flats and undercroft car parking was proposed

  The proposals sought to create a ‘cathedral close’ precinct environment around Leeds Parish Church with key views of the church being retained through the existing gaps between the three properties

  Flemish Bond brickwork and glazing would be used for all three buildings with deep window reveals to allow the creation of shadow and relief on the elevations.  The extensions to the buildings and the new build element would be modern in form with flat roofs

  A minimal approach would be taken to landscaping although five trees would need to be removed around Chantrell House although the effect of this would be mitigated by the provision of six trees around the site and a contribution towards further trees on a site on The Calls.  Hard landscaping in York stone would be provided for the pedestrian routes

  The site was within a flood zone and as part of the scheme it had been proposed to break through the listed boundary wall to provide an escape route, however, it was now proposed to use an existing gateway as the escape route  Whilst the Environment Agency had objected to the initial proposals, Members were informed that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for the addition of a new southern entrance with access walkway and new footbridges to railway station

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs, drawings, graphics and sample materials were displayed at the meeting.  A Members site visit had taken place earlier in the day.  It was noted that Members had received a pre-application presentation on the proposals on 13^th August 2009 and the Chief Planning Officer’s report sought to address issues raised by Members on that occasion

  Officers presented the report which sought approval for a new southern entrance at Leeds Railway Station.  The proposals would require widening the existing station western footbridge and providing escalators, stairs and lifts to a partial deck over the River Aire which would then provide pedestrian access to either side of the river to the south east via Little Neville Street or south west via Granary Wharf and the Holbeck Urban Village area.  This would be enclosed in a distinctive ‘hood’ rising from the southern elevation of the arches, rising back to a peak where it meets the junction with the existing roof-form and the end of the western bridge

  The material for the ‘hood’ would be copper alloy shingle in a golden colour, samples of which were provided for Members’ consideration

  Members’ previous comments regarding the siting of a new entrance on Sovereign Street had been considered but the Panel was informed that this site would not provide the reduced journey times that the provision of funding was reliant upon.  In addition the cost of siting the entrance at this location would be significantly higher and there would be health and safety reasons due to the narrow width of platform 16 which could not accommodate all southern access bound passengers alongside travellers for the Transpennine westbound service

  Details of the comments which had been received on the application were provided and Members were informed that the Environment Agency had lifted their objection, having accepted the flood risk assessment

  Officers commended the scheme to Members and stressed the increased connectivity this would provide and the wider regeneration benefits it would bring to the south of the city

  The Panel heard representations on behalf of the applicant and the adjacent hotel, City Inn, who whilst supporting the proposals had raised concerns at the impact of significantly higher footfall on the public realm within their development and the need for this to be properly addressed

  In response to a point raised by Panel, Members were informed that although the graphics showed public access to the front of the structure, this was incorrect and that this access would be for maintenance only

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  the height of the structure and whether this could be reduced

·  whether by amending the top of the ‘hood’ this could lessen its impact on nearby residents and enhance its appearance

·  concerns that by altering the design of the ‘hood’ this could be detrimental to its effect

·  the lack of cycle facilities at the new entrance; that the development could encourage cycle use and the possibility of using one of the Dark Arches as a cycle park

·  that this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on a retrospective application for change of use from garage to place of worship (D1 use)

(report attached)

  Plans of the site were displayed at the meeting

  Officers presented the report which sought retrospective permission for a change of use of two former vehicle repair workshops with car parking area to Place of Worship

  A previous application for change of use to church and community centre had been refused under delegated powers on highways and noise nuisance grounds

  The application before Panel was solely for church use, with Officers recommending approval of the application subject to an additional condition to grant a personal permission to the Living Hope Church; the signing of a S106 legal agreement and subject to the legal requirement for the applicant to serve a notice of development on the current owners of the site

  In response to questions from the Panel, Officers stated that the Green Travel Plan would provide £2500 monitoring fee and that both of the buildings on the site would be used by the applicant

  RESOLVED – To approve the application in principle and to defer and delegate final approval to the Chief Planning Officer subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report, an additional condition granting a personal permission to the Living Hope Church (and any others which he might consider appropriate) and the completion of a legal agreement within 25 days from the date of resolution unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Chief Planning Officer, to include the following obligations:

  1 Travel Plan Monitoring

  2 Contribution to local Traffic Regulation Order enhancement within two years of grant of planning permission if significant on-street parking problems occur as a result of the operation of the site as a place of worship

and subject to the legal requirement for the applicant to serve a Certificate B under the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 on the current owners of the site

Monday 22^nd March 2010 at 2.00pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds

Thursday 1^st April 2010 at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds

  Monday 22^nd March 2010 at 2.00pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds

  Thursday 1^st April 2010 at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds