Agenda and minutes

Site visits were held in the morning and these were attended by Councillors Walshaw, J Procter, Wilkinson, S McKenna and Ritchie.

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

There were no appeals against refusal of inspection of documents.

There were no exempt items.

There were no formal late items. However, there was supplementary information in relation to Agenda Item 6 Minutes. The minutes of the meeting held on 13^th October 2016 had not been cleared for publishing when the agenda for the 3^rd November meeting was despatched. Minute no. 83 refers

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct. 

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests. However, Cllr. John Procter brought to the attention of the Panel that he knew both applicants who were present at the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of meetings held on:

A)  29^th September 2016 (minutes attached)

B)  13^th October 2016 (minutes to follow)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 29^th September 2016 be confirmed as a correct record subject to the following amendment:

Minute no. 70 page 9 of the agenda, 4th paragraph second bullet point to read ‘That both left and right curtilage walls of the lodge may be listed structures as part of the Harewood Estate’.

That the minutes of the 13^th October 2016 which had been received as a supplementary item, item 80 refers were approved as a correct record.

To consider the report of the Chief Planning Officer for the division of existing detached house into two dwellings at The Close, Scarsdale Ridge, Bardsey, Leeds.

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which sought permission to subdivide a single dwelling to form two dwellings. The key issue in this case was highway safety and the intensification of use of the junction of Scarsdale Ridge with the A58.

This application was reported to Plans Panel at the request of two Ward Councillors.

The Panel was informed that the applicant wished to split the current dwelling into two self-contained dwellings one for the applicant and one for his son. The site was located in the Green Belt and it was considered that the proposal complied with planning policies and guidance in all other respects.

Members noted that the junction of Scarsdale Ridge with the A58 had limited visibility that falls significantly below local and national standards.  Members were informed that Scarsdale Ridge was an un-adopted road, which was unlit, narrow with passing places and had a 90 degree bend at the top of the road. The road already served around 25 dwellings.

Oliver Beaumont the applicant’s son was present at the meeting and informed the Panel that his parents wished to convert their current dwelling into two dwelling one for themselves and the other for him and his young son.

Mr Beaumont informed Members that the only reason for refusal was the access to the A58. He said that it had not been an issue when previous development of new houses of Scarsdale Ridge had been proposed. He also said that neither neighbours nor the Parish Council had objected to his father’s proposals.

Members noted that at 6.2 of the submitted report the Parish Council had raised no significant issues with the division of the dwelling but had commented that the new dwelling within the green belt could be deemed as an inappropriate form of development.

 Mr Beaumont told the Panel that he currently visited his parents at least once daily and sometimes twice daily, and therefore he could see no difference in the volume of traffic using the junction. Mr Beaumont said that he had not experienced any difficulties accessing the drive.

The Panel heard from the Highways Officer who informed them that the application had been assessed as a typical house within the use class, rather than on the personal circumstances of this particular applicant. A typical dwelling would mean that generally there would be 6 to 8 movements per dwelling per day and therefore the A58 junction would see an increase in trips. He explained that the A58 was very fast with a speed limit of 50mph, that visibility from the access was very substandard and that accidents had been recorded along the A58 in the vicinity of the junction. There were 24 recorded injury accidents since 2000.

Cllr. Cleasby asked to recommend that no further development take place at this location.

The Panel noted that signage used further down to indicate a concealed access would not be effective unless driver behaviour changed.

Members were of the view that they were being distracted from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

To consider the report of the Chief Planning Officer for a pre-application for the residential development of land North of Wetherby Road, Bardsey, Leeds, LS17 9BD.

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report outlining a pre-application presentation for a residential development of up to 150 dwellings and public open space at land at Wetherby Road, Bardsey, LS17 9BD. As this was a pre-application presentation there was no formal decision taken at this meeting.

The development site is to be located in the Green Belt which sits between the residential area known as The Congreves and The Drive within the village of Bardsey and forms the western extremity of the Braham Park Estate.

The landowner Nicholas Lane Fox of The Bramham Park Estate and his representatives Savills were at the meeting to present the emerging scheme for the residential development of a Green Belt site in Bardsey.

As the site was located within Green Belt the proposal constitutes inappropriate development. Therefore the Bramham Park Estate and their promoters put forward a case to demonstrate very special circumstances to try and overcome the principle of objection to new housing at this site.

Mr Lane Fox informed the Panel that numerous restoration and refurbishment works were required to a number of Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings located within the Bramham Park Estate, which is itself a Grade 1 Registered Park and Garden.

Members noted that the Estate contained a total of 27 listed buildings and structures which were considered to be of special architectural or historic interest. A list was provided at 2.3 of the submitted report.

Members were informed that Bramham hosts events including the Bramham Horse Trials and the Leeds Festival and that the house and gardens were open to the public by appointment, they hold 2 public services per month at the church and there are also public pathways and bridle paths across the estate.

Mr Lane Fox and his representative set out the benefits of the development on the site as:-

·  35% affordable housing on this site

·  7 hectares of public park

·  Improved drainage and reduced local flooding

·  Cycle access from The Drive

·  1 Main access point to Wetherby Road via  a new bridge over the beck

·  More bus stops

·  Reduction of speed limit on Wetherby Road to 30mph

It was noted that a public consultation event had taken place at which 220 people had attended. The representative said that the main issues raised at the event had been in relation to increased traffic, registration at local doctors and school places at local schools.

The representative informed the Panel that research had been done on the issues for concern and it had been found that the local school had a capacity for 210 pupils with 191 currently on roll. They informed the Members that some of the pupils currently attending the school were from outside the area. It was the view of the representative that CIL money could be used to provide more places at the school.

The representative informed the Panel that when enquiring at the doctors she had been informed that they were taking on new patients.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

The next meeting of the North and East Plans Panel will be Thursday 1^st December 2016 at 1:30pm

RESOLVED – To note that the next North and East Plans Panel will be held on Thursday 1^st December 2016 at 1:30pm.