Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer and to receive a presentation on pre-application proposals for a proposed office and creche buildings

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. 

(report attached)

  Plans and graphics were displayed at the meeting

  Panel considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out proposals for another new office development in Leeds which was a further example of investor confidence in the city

  Members were informed about the planning history of the site and that there were two permissions for additional office space which had commenced but had not been completed.  The applicant had stated that if the proposed scheme was granted planning permission, the two extant permissions would be relinquished

  Car parking was proposed at ground level with office accommodation above it.  A crèche was proposed on an existing car park, with there being a net loss of approximately 190 spaces

  Aspects of the design were still being discussed although the coloured cladding which had formed part of the earlier designs had now been deleted

  The extant permissions were material planning considerations as was whether an out of centre use was acceptable in this location

  It was reported that Councillor Congreve had raised the issue about the loss of car parking spaces and that this needed to be addressed to ensure there was no worsening of the car parking situation at the White Rose Centre (WRC)

  If Members were broadly satisfied with the proposals, a request was made to defer and delegate determination of the planning application when it was submitted, to the Chief Planning Officer, subject to no major issues being raised

  The Panel then received a presentation on behalf of the applicants who provided the following information:

·  that the site was the home to a range of companies and was a large employer

·  that the site could be regarded as being mid-town rather than an out of town location

·  that a company had approached them for a new office building with crèche facility and that the consented scheme did not meet the demands of this tenant.  If the scheme was approved, the building was hoped to be occupied by 2014 and with 700 employees

·  that an area of land did exist where decked car parking could be provided if the loss of spaces was an issue

·  that the applicants would work with the owners of the WRC to develop the link to the shopping centre

·  that the consented schemes could be built without the need for planning contributions and that this should be taken into account when considering contributions on the proposed scheme

Members discussed the scheme and were content with the proposals

as presented, to the extent that determination of the application could be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer

  The Chief Planning Officer welcomed this approach but advised that any approval would be subject to no new material considerations being raised and for the scheme to be policy compliant and for appropriate planning contributions to be made

  RESOLVED – To note the report, the presentation and the comments now made and that consideration of the formal application be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer but that in the event that issues arose which could not be resolved, that the application be submitted to Panel for determination