Agenda and minutes

  The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked Members and Officers to introduce themselves

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

  Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Nash and Councillor Ingham who were substituted for by Councillor R Grahame and Councillor Towler

To approve the minutes of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 26^th June 2014

(minutes attached)

  RESOLVED -  That the minutes of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 26^th June 2014 be approved

  With reference to minute 9 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 26^th June 2014 – Applications 14/01903/FU and 14/01924/DEM – Victoria Gate Phase 2 – the situation regarding the North Bar Stone was raised and whether this had been removed and stored safely as required by Panel.  The Chief Planning Officer stated that a condition requiring removal and storage of the North Bar Stone prior to commencement of the development had been attached to the approval and that once it had been removed, details of where the North Bar Stone would be stored would be provided to Members

  With reference to minute 6, arrangements for a site visit to Manchester, the Head of Planning Services stated the visit which had taken place on 15th July had been worthwhile and had enabled Members and Officers to view examples of studio flats.  Members commented on the visit in respect of the size of the units, with those at 29sqm being regarded as a standard Leeds should be considering.  The use of balconies was also referred to, with the view being expressed that the treatment of balconies in Manchester seemed better than in Leeds

  The Chair thanked Officers for arranging the visit

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for proposed student accommodation, key worker and apartment buildings on land at St. Michael’s College and Police Depot, St. John’s Road and Belle Vue Road, Little Woodhouse, Leeds.

(report attached)

  Further to minute 184 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 8^th May 2014, where Panel deferred determination of an application for student accommodation, key worker accommodation and apartment buildings to enable further discussions to take place on elements of the proposals, including the size of some of the units, Members considered a further report of the Chief Planning Officer

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting

  Officers presented the report and outlined the changes to the scheme which related to the size of some of the key worker accommodation; the appearance of the new build extensions to the historic college building and the S106 contributions.  Members were also informed that a list of eligible occupations had been drawn up for the key worker units, with a salary threshold also being stipulated

  In respect of the S106 contributions an additional £150,000 had been offered towards off-site greenspace.  On the travel plan, Members were informed that the finer details of this were required

  If minded to approve the application in principle, an amendment to the recommendation within the submitted report was sought, to remove the reference to the resolution of issues relating to the provision of accessible student bedrooms, as this matter had been resolved and to include the submission of details of the travel plan for approval

  Members discussed the application, with the main issues relating to:

·  the extent of improvements which had been made to the development, with mixed views on this

·  the timescale for completion of the S106 Agreement and that delays should not occur

·  the importance of context being provided for Members when considering applications for student accommodation to ensure the current situation on supply and demand was provided as part of the information within reports

·  the design of the proposals and the quality of living which would be provided which was considered to be less than the scheme seen in Manchester

·  the size of the smaller units with some concerns being raised about the living conditions for residents of these units

·  the level of the affordable rents and the monitoring of the proposed key worker accommodation in the future as units were subject to changes in ownership and occupation.  The Panel’s legal adviser stated that this matter could be future-proofed in the S106 Agreement

·  the need for a Leeds standard for residential accommodation

The Head of Planning Services stated that work on devising a Leeds

standard was progressing.  On the comments regarding the standard of the units compared to those seen in Manchester, Members were informed that the rental levels on the units in Manchester were higher than those proposed on this site; that the current proposals provided communal facilities for the key worker apartments such as a gym, games and reading rooms and represented a conversion of an existing premises with significant costs and that a financial viability assessment had been submitted and the developers had offered to go beyond that assessment in terms of planning contributions

  RESOLVED -  To  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for a proposal for 160 apartments, B1 office space, 30 car parking spaces and rear amenity deck at 2 Skinner Lane.

(report attached)

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

  Officers presented the report which sought approval for a nine storey residential development with ground floor office units on a site currently being used as a temporary surface car park on land fronting Skinner Lane.  Details of a previously approved scheme for residential and office use were provided, with Members being informed that the current application was lower in height and depth than that of the previously consented scheme

  The floor plans were outlined to Panel, together with the proposals for an amenity deck sited above the car park.  Proposed materials of glazing and wood had been selected to reference the materials of the buildings on either side of the site

If minded to support the Officer’s recommendation, the Chief Planning

Officer proposed an additional condition restricting the use of the car park to occupiers of the development only

  Members commented on the application, with the main issues relating to:

·  sustainability; the need for a high level to be achieved and consideration given to photovoltaics being included

·  the level of unlet/unsold apartments in Leeds.  The Chief Planning Officer advised that through the economic downturn, occupancy levels had been close to 100% in the City, although this was predominantly rented accommodation and that a demand still existed for apartment units

·  bin stores and arrangements for refuse collection

·  the proposed materials; the dominance of wood as seen on the graphics; the type of wood to be used; how it would weather and the need for sample materials to be provided to Panel when considering applications

·  the level of affordable housing units and the desire for a higher number of affordable 2 bed units than being proposed

The Panel considered how to proceed.  Concerns were reiterated

about the need to see samples of the proposed materials.  The Chief Planning Officer stated that the material details would be controlled by planning condition and suggested that further discussions be undertaken with the applicant’s architect on the issue of materials and that samples be provided to be agreed by the Panel prior to the discharge of the planning condition

  RESOLVED -  To defer and delegate to the Chief Planning Officer for approval, subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report, an additional condition in respect of restricting the car parking to use only by occupiers of the building  (and any other conditions which he might consider appropriate) and also the completion of a Section 106 Agreement to include the following obligations:

·  provision of 5% (5no.) affordable housing units

·  £6,000 to make a number of existing TRO’s in the area ‘No Waiting at Any Time’

·  £23,259 public transport infrastructure contribution

·  £2,635, travel plan review fee and travel plan measures including travel plan co-ordinator

·  £7,360 provision of free trial membership of the city car club

·  £11,200 car club parking bay works

·  local employment initiatives

·  any other obligations which arise as part of the application process  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for advertisement consent to display advertising via the existing media screen at The Carriageworks, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 ad.

(report attached)

  Photographs were displayed at the meeting

Members considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for advertisement consent related to the introduction of commercial television broadcasts to the existing digital media screen located to the Carriageworks building on Millennium Square

A letter of objection to the proposals from Leeds Civic Trust had been received

A detailed discussion took place on the proposals, particularly around the level of commercial and other advertising, which was stated in the report as being no more than 30%.  Members were informed that the percentage proposed was in line with that existing in other Local Authorities

  The Chief Planning Officer advised that the Panel needed to consider the planning aspects of the proposals and that it would be for the Chief Libraries, Arts and Heritage Officer and the Executive Member for Digital and Creative Technology, Culture and Skills to consider issues beyond this.  The Chief Planning Officer advised that Members’ concerns would be conveyed to Councillor Yeadon

  The context of the proposals was referred to and the need for income generation by the Council.  The possibility of the Council being able to use the screen to advertise jobs and events was also raised

  In view of the concerns the Panel had about the extent of the advertising content and the need for clarity on this point, Members proposed to defer consideration of the application

  RESOLVED -  To defer determination of the application to enable further information to be obtained on the level of advertising being proposed and for a further report to be submitted to the next meeting

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer outlining the application for development of circa 70 dwellings, including access works on land near Ring Road and Calverley Lane, Farsley

(report attached)

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

  Officers presented the report which sought approval of an outline application for a residential development of around 70 dwellings, together with access works on a 2.8ha Protected Area of Search (PAS) site close to the Ring Road and Calverley Lane.  A larger PAS site was situated to the north east, known as Kirklees Knowl, which was the subject of an appeal against non-determination.  Although the report had indicated that the decision of the appeal was expected, Members were informed that the Public Inquiry was to be reopened, with the Secretary of State’s decision possibly being made available by the end of the year

  Officers reported the receipt of further representations from Farsley Residents Action Group (FRAG) and 10 separate objectors.  A letter had also been sent to the Chief Planning Officer and further representations from Councillor A Carter and Councillor Wood had been received and were read out to Members 

The Panel was informed that although the majority of the matters raised in the additional representations had been addressed in the report, FRAG had submitted their own bat survey.  The Council’s Nature Conservation Officer had considered this and was satisfied with the original recommendation and comments as set out in the submitted report.  For clarity, the further comments of the Council’s Nature Conservation Officer were read out to Panel

In terms of the principle of development, Members were referred to the Council’s Interim PAS policy which had been approved by the Council’s Executive Board on 13^th March 2013, which had sought to ensure the availability of a 5 year supply of deliverable housing land delivery by selectively releasing some designated PAS sites in advance of the preparation of the Site Allocations Plan.  In terms of the criteria drawn up within the Interim PAS policy, the subject site was considered to meet all three of the criteria which had been set and was therefore acceptable in principle.  Officers had also concluded that there was no clear link between the site and Kirklees Knowl for example no joint access was required

Reference was made to Counsel’s opinion provided by the applicant on the cost implications of further delay in consideration of the proposals pending the Kirklees Knowl decision and the view of Legal Services on this, as outlined in paragraph 10.28 of the submitted report

Issues relating to highways, visual amenity, character and residential amenity were outlined.  If minded to accept the Officer’s recommendation, further conditions were proposed regarding provision of parking spaces for the recreation ground; the submission and approval of a construction management plan and an additional S106 contribution of £65,000 for a cycle/pedestrian route from the Ring Road to Dawson’s Corner if the Kirklees Knowl site was developed within 5 years, with the sum being returned if this was not the case

The Panel then heard representations from an objector who attended the meeting and provided information  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on proposals for new advertisement hoarding locations as part of the future management and rationalisation of the current Leeds City Council advertisement portfolio by J.C.Decaux UK Ltd

(report attached)

This is a pre –application presentation and no formal decision on the development will be taken, however it is an opportunity for Panel Members to ask questions, raise issues, seek clarification and comment on the proposals at this stage. A ward member or a nominated community representative has a maximum of 15 minutes to present their comments.

  The Panel considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer on emerging proposals for the development and rationalisation of the Council’s advertisement portfolio and received a presentation from representatives of the Council’s chosen contractor for the ongoing management of this portfolio

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting

  Members were provided with an overview of the proposals for 10 individual sites located within or close to the City Centre boundary, mainly on arterial routes

  The report before Panel provided details on each of the sites and the type of hoarding proposed, although Members were updated on the Claypit Lane site where a digital advertising hoarding was now proposed.  Members were also informed that as part of the rationalisation process, 22 hoardings would be removed from a total of 10 sites

  The following information was provided:

·  there were 46 displays around the periphery of the City Centre, with many of these looking dated

·  the aim of the scheme was to bring Leeds into line with other leading cities in terms of its advertising portfolio and make the City into one of the top five media destinations

·  that half of the existing displays would be removed and a more bespoke approach would be taken to the new displays

·  that industry standard sizes would be used, i.e 3m x 12m; 5m x 7.5m; 3m x 6m

·  that only Claypit Lane would be a digital sign, with the static signs being changed on a fortnightly basis

·  that the monopoles would be a design which would be unique to Leeds

·  that discussions were continuing with Officers to select the most suitable locations, with regard also being had to highway safety

Members commented on the following matters:

·  the Claypit Lane site, with concerns about a digital display leading to distractions for road users

·  the Crown Point Road site and that regard should be had to the nearby Conservation Area and heritage assets

·  the stability of the structures

·  the need for large images to be provided when the scheme was next presented to Panel

In response to the specific issues raised in the report, Members

provided the following responses:

·  that in general the visual impact from the proposals was acceptable and appropriate, although concerns remained about the proposed displays at Clay Pit Lane and Crown Point Road

·  that in respect of any adverse highway safety implications arising from the proposed advertisement hoardings, that further consideration should be given to this, particular the maintenance of the static signs in the central reservation and that road closures resulting from such maintenance would not be acceptable.  Members were informed that as part of the formal application process, the applicant would undertake road safety audits and present these alongside the application

  RESOLVED -  To note the report, the presentation and the comments now made

  During consideration of this matter, Councillor R Grahame left the meeting

Thursday 7^th August 2014 at 1.30pm

  Thursday 7^th August 2014 at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds