Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the current position in respect of an outline application for a maximum of 11,616 sqm gross internal area of new office (B1) with A1, A3, A4, A5 or B1 uses at ground floor or hotel (C1) development, with all matters reserved, full planning permission for basement plant and parking for 85 cars with a gross internal area of 3,320 sqm and an office building (B1) of 16,086 sqm gross internal area, with A1, A3, A4, A5 or B1 uses at ground floor

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting

  The Deputy Area Planning Manager presented a report setting out the current position on proposals for an office and hotel development at Wellington Street/Whitehall Road, LS1 on the site of the former Lumiere development.  Members noted that a pre-application presentation on the scheme had been considered by Plans Panel City Centre at its meeting on 5^th July 2012

  Regarding the location of the site, this was close to the City Centre Conservation Area and there were a number of listed buildings in the vicinity, with a mixed architectural style of Victorian and modern buildings around the site

  At this point, Councillor Nash having declared a disclosable pecuniary interest through being a Committee Member of the Leeds and Wakefield Area Co-operative Group which had a store in close proximity to the site, left the meeting

  The following information was provided:

·  that the proposals were for two buildings around a central space, with one application being for full planning permission whereas the other building was for outline permission only

·  both the base of the outline building and the top of it would align with City Central

·  a central open space of 35m x 25m would be provided and this would include an area of soft landscaping together with seating and public art

·  the servicing arrangements would be provided by a new route for vehicular access off Whitehall Road to the basement car park

·  the need to protect the amenity of residents from the possible intensive servicing use and that a wall to screen this from view would be provided

·  for the building on the Whitehall Road frontage, the proposed materials would be masonry in a grid pattern, with a loggia feature at the top level

·  a brown roof was proposed to the eastern wing which would constitute crushed aggregate, brick and concrete which would encourage biodiversity

·  to address concerns about lighting and safety raised at the pre-application presentation about the pedestrian cut-through, this would be 8m wide with a fully glazed reception area sited along one elevation to improve natural surveillance

·  that some columns in the centre would be needed for support but these would be slim and not obtrusive

·  signing was proposed at the entrance to provide a feature and further illuminate this part of the building

·  that construction would be phased including a phased provision of the basement car park

·  a temporary fence line was being proposed to screen the part-built basement and temporary surface treatment would be provided to the Public Open Space until the outline proposal was implemented

·  a lay-by area was being proposed for the proposed hotel use and there would be the opportunity for a new, upgraded bus stop to be provided on Wellington Street.  The existing bus stops on Whitehall Road would be relocated and improved

·  the existing pedestrian crossing on Wellington Street would need to be relocated

·  a wind study for the site had been submitted and was being considered

Members commented on the proposals particularly the need to provide

a lay-by to improve the flow of public transport along Wellington Street, and the pedestrian route in and how well-illuminated this would be

  In response to the specific points raised in the report for Members’ consideration, the following comments were made:

·  that Members considered that the combination of the materials proposed and the elevational treatment to be acceptable

·  that the concerns regarding the attractiveness of the pedestrian access on to Whitehall Road had been addressed

·  that with the safeguards which were in place, in general, residential amenity had been protected both during the construction and operational phases of development but that there was a need to make the screen wall to the service area more interesting and attractive and that the flow of public transport along Wellington Street needed to be improved

RESOLVED -  To note the report and the comments now made