Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on the temporary use (for 5 years) of the vacant site for 5 five-a-side football pitches and 1 seven-a-side football pitch and construction of a single storey changing rooms building

(report attached)

  Plans, drawings and precedent images were displayed at the meeting

  The Central Area Planning Manager presented the report which sought temporary permission for use of a vacant site for football pitches, changing facilities and car parking area on land at City Gate Wellington Bridge Street LS3

  The astro-turf pitches would be 29m x 20m in size and would be bounded on all sides by a close-boarded, 1.5m high fence and side netting of 1.5m high; roof netting would also be provided

  Members were informed that the pitches would be accessed off a new road; that two disabled car parking spaces would be provided but that the car parking strategy was to use the nearby, underused car park in the adjacent retail development.  A survey of the levels of available parking had been carried out and Officers were satisfied that there was sufficient levels of car parking for the scheme.  The surrounding streets were tightly controlled by on street parking controls so the proposals should not have an adverse impact on this.  Furthermore the signage strategy would be conditioned to specify the use of the designated car park by users of the pitches

  The Panel was informed that the application had been brought to Members due to the comments of the HSE as the site fell within the HSE consultation zone from the former Yorkshire Chemicals site

  There was an existing chemical storage licence in operation on the site and the HSE was required to give standing advice, with this being that planning permission should not be granted.  Members noted that outline consent for a residential development had been granted on the nearby former Yorkshire Chemicals site

  The Central Area Planning Manager stated that the HSE had advised that if the application was granted, they would not be recommending to the Secretary of State that the application be called in for scrutiny

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  whether the pitches would be run as a commercial venture and if so, whether they would be staffed, with Officers stating that the proposals formed a commercial venture and that there would be a caretaker on site

·  that there was a demand for such facilities in the city centre and that when considering a city centre park, such provision should be included

·  the lack of community use of the pitches and whether some free or subsidised use could be provided

·  that some free kick-about space should be provided

·  that some organised community use should be provided ie for schools

·  whether the proposals would obstruct the riverside walkway.  The Central Area Planning Manager stated that the boundary of the pitches did not extend to the edge of the river

As the applicant’s agent was in attendance, the Chair invited him to

Address the Panel on matters of fact relating to use of the facilities

  Members were informed that some community use could be offered but that it would need to be booked and a management agreement be in place

  The pitches being provided were of a high standard and were expected to be popular although a two-hour morning slot between 10.00am – 12.00 noon, Monday – Thursday (Bank Holidays and school holidays excepted) could be offered for community use

  Members welcomed this offer

  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 (and any others which he might consider appropriate) and the completion of a legal agreement within 3 months from the date of resolution unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Chief Planning Officer, to include the following obligations:

·  public transport contribution of £9000 to be paid in three instalments at the end of each of the first three years

·  £600 monitoring fee for the public transport contribution

·  Travel plan with monitoring fee of £2500