Agenda item

Further to minute 22 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 25^th October 2012, where Panel considered a position statement on a change of use from car park to public realm and amenity space, including paving, water feature, drainage, exterior lighting and associated soft landscaping works, to consider a further report of the Chief Planning Officer seeking determination of the application

(report attached)

  Further to minute 22 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 25^th October 2012, where Panel considered a position statement on proposals for an area of greenspace in the city centre, Members considered the formal report.  A supplementary report was also provided for Members’ consideration which set out the emerging strategic planning context in relation to the Leeds Core Strategy and provided clarification of the number of trees being removed and provided in the planning application

  Plans and graphics were displayed at the meeting

  Officers presented the report and following the detailed discussions held at the meeting on 25^th October 2012, provided further information on the issues which had been raised by Members

  The Panel was informed that plot C had not been properly drawn on the plan before Members at the October meeting and that this was now correctly plotted, so moving it eastward, with the size of the greenspace area now comparable to Park Square.  Furthermore, Executive Board had recently considered the potential disposal of plot B, which had set the parameters for that plot

  In response to Members’ comments about the balance of hard and soft landscaping within the scheme, this had now been amended with now 67% of the area being greenspace provision.  Further amendments included more seating areas in a greater variety of styles and materials; an increased number of trees; a larger grassed area to Sovereign Square; re-alignment of the rill and the footpaths reduced in width

  The level changes between the grassed areas were now very discrete; the whole area was now accessible to people with disabilities and the steps within the scheme would meet the requirements of the Access Officer 

  The importance of addressing Members’ concerns about the possible build up of litter within the scheme was highlighted

  A late representation from Leeds Civic Trust was reported which strongly supported the scheme but requested additional play areas, improved seating and improvements to Pitt Row

  Members welcomed the revisions to the scheme and commented on the following matters:

·  lighting within the scheme; the need to ensure it did not cause light pollution and the possibility of including coloured lighting at ground level to add further interest

·  the need to ensure that the grass cutting machinery could reach the raised grassed areas

·  that the enlarged greenspace area was welcomed

·  the depth of the water; the need for this to be safe and for the water features to be regularly maintained

·  the support for the proposals by Leeds Civic Trust in view of their earlier comments on the scheme

·  the potential attraction of the area to skateboarders and whether this had been considered and addressed

·  concerns about extensive use of the proposed tree species Sugar Gum which grew to 30m high

·  the need for winter flowering cherry to be included in the planting scheme to provide some winter colour

Officers provided the following responses:

·  that the depth of the water would be variable, with this being from 120mm to 40mm.  Concerns were raised by some Members that this was too deep

·  that the water feature would be maintained with an agreement being drawn up for a maintenance plan for a 15 year period

·  that the issue of skateboarders using the space had been considered and that a range of measures would be included to prevent this from occurring

Members acknowledged the importance of this area of greenspace to

the city and the role of the Plans Panel in securing a better scheme than had been originally proposed

  RESOLVED -  

a) To approve the application in principle and to defer and delegate approval to the Chief Planning Officer subject to the expiry of Notice No.1 on 28^th November 2012 and subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report (and any other which may be considered appropriate)

b) That Councillor Nash be consulted on the lighting within the scheme and the proposed tree species