Agenda and minutes

  The Chair welcomed Brian Pearson to the meeting and explained he had been recently appointed to the Planning and Economic Policy section of the Development Department

To declare any personal / prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 13 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

  The following Members declared personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 13 of the Members Code of Conduct

  Councillor Carter and Councillor Blackburn– declared  personal interests in item 7 ‘West Leeds Gateway AAP – Issues and Alternative Options’ through being members of the West Leeds Regeneration Board which had been consulted on the proposals (Minute 16 refers)

  Councillor Congreve – declared a personal interest in item 7 ‘West Leeds Gateway AAP – Issues and Alternative Options’ as a close family member lived within the boundary of the Area Action Plan (AAP) – (Minute 16 refers)

  Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Blake and Councillor Procter

To approve the minutes of the Development Plan Panel meeting held on 18^th July 2006

(minutes attached)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Development Plan Panel meeting held on 18^th July 2006 be approved as a correct record

To consider a report by the Director of Development setting out an Issues and Options paper for the regeneration of the West Leeds Gateway Area Action Plan (AAP)

A3- sized colour copies of the plans contained within the report will be tabled  by officers at the meeting

(report attached)

  The Panel considered a report by the Director of Development setting out an Issues and Options paper for the regeneration of the West Leeds Gateway Area Action Plan (WLGAAP) prior to undertaking informal (Regulation 25) consultation with local communities and stakeholders.  Appended to the report was a list of consultees and a programme for the public consultation.  Larger scale copies of the plans which were included with the agenda were tabled for Members’ consideration

  Members were advised that parts of West Leeds were beginning to display problems similar to those found elsewhere in the most deprived parts of the city.  To address this three options had been drawn up, each with differing levels of intervention, and it was these options which would form the basis of the informal consultation

It was intended that the Regulation 25 consultation would commence in late September and that officers were aiming to ensure maximum input by the whole community in the West Leeds area.  The results of the consultation would be presented to the Panel, together with the preferred option (s), for the Area Action Plan which would then form the basis of the formal, Regulation 26 consultation early in 2007

  Members were advised that the scheme would need to be led by partnerships with the private sector as there was no single amount of regeneration funding set aside for this work.   Members were also informed that the Council was in a strong position to influence regeneration work owing to its land ownership

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  the importance of consulting widely to gain comments from

those people who are not part of established groups and who may not usually engage with the planning process

·  the need to consider the locations for events to ensure they

were held locally and in the most appropriate area for the issue being discussed

·  that the consultation process should address the concerns some

residents have about the future direction of their area

·  that Education Leeds should be consulted as there were plans

to develop a new school on the Swallow Hill site

·  that the scheme should benefit local people

·  that the references to the amount and location of Council owned

land in the area should be clarified

·  that consideration should be given to defining the Public Rights

 of Way in the area and the importance of linkages into the wider area, eg West Leeds Country Park

·  that the possibility of using Section 106 funds to improve

footpaths, including better lighting should be considered to encourage their use and improve safety in parks and other open spaces

·  the possibility for a railway station - particularly in view of the

the substantial number of people who live in the area adjoining the lines - should be investigated with Metro and Network Rail, as this would bring significant  benefits to the local community, in terms of better transport and greater employment opportunities

  Officers responded and provided the following information:

·  in relation to consultation, it was recognised this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

  Tuesday 12^th September at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall