Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the current position on an application to erect B1 offices in two blocks, health and fitness centre plus a 596 multi-storey car park

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs, precedent images and graphics were displayed at the meeting.  Panel Members had viewed the site from a coach when on a visit to Temple Works

  Officers presented the report which concerned proposals for an outline application for offices, health and fitness centre and a multi-storey car park on a brownfield site at 10-11 Sweet Street Holbeck

  Members were informed that a phased approach would be taken to the development, with phase one providing the gym and multi-storey car park

  The scale of the office buildings at five storeys plus a plant room followed the themes established in the HUV Framework Document and was appropriate for the area

  8 floors of car parking would be provided and that the use of this would be for on-site uses to the UDP (Review 2006) maximum, with approximately 100 spaces being allocated to the office use, with the remainder either being short stay parking or provision for developments within Holbeck Urban Village which did not provide on-site parking; this being controlled by a S106 agreement

  A pricing structure to discourage other long stay car parking was being considered as was a later opening time for the car park ie after 9.30am

  Landscaping would be provided and this would need to address the practicalities of the location of a high pressure gas main which ran under part of the site

  Members were informed that a letter from the Leeds Civic Trust had been received and that the comments would be set out in the formal report to be submitted in due course

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  the loss of employment land in the areas of Beeston and Holbeck and the need for local labour and training to be provided to serve these new uses

·  that the areas of public open space were welcome as was the green roof shown on the images presented to Members and whether this feature could be extended to the other blocks

·  the need to tie down the design of the green frontage; whilst accepting there would be limitations due to the high pressure gas main, some greenery needed to be included whilst ensuring this would not fracture the gas pipe

·  the car park, with the following mixed views on this aspect being expressed:

- concerns at its proposed size and that for Holbeck Urban -  Village to work it should not require a large car park

- support for the car park if used only for local businesses

- that there was a need for some parking in this area

- that the proposals for the car park were acceptable

Officers provided the following comments:

·  that a condition to specify the provision of local employment and training initiatives would be included in the S106 agreement, although as the scheme was for offices this could not be tied down to manufacturing uses

·  that the opportunity for further green roofs could be considered

·  that Northern Gas Networks had acknowledged the presence of trees in the proposals, although it may be that these would need to be in tree pits to protect the pipeline

·  regarding the car park, to note the concerns but that the amount of long stay parking would be limited and would be tied into other developments

RESOLVED -  To note the report and the comments now made