Agenda item

Further to minute 81 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 17^th October 2013, where Panel considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer on submissions of the Transport and Works Act Order application for the New Generation Transport (NGT), to consider a further update report

(report attached)

  Having declared a disclosable pecuniary interest, Councillor J Lewis withdrew from the meeting.  Councillor P Gruen also left the meeting at this point

Further to minute 81 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 17^th October 2013, where Panel considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer on submissions of the Transport and Works Act Order for the New Generation Transport (NGT), Members considered a further report which included updated information on the proposed route and how it would impact on the Leeds College of Art and the businesses at Pym Street.  Appended to the report was the updated suite of proposed draft conditions.  A plan showing the landscape proposals at Blenheim Walk was considered as a supplementary document

  The Acting Planning Projects Manager presented the report and referred to the Members site visit to the Leeds College of Art on 21^st November 2013 and the concerns which Members had raised

  The revisions which had been made at this location, with the northbound turn having been removed and more space created around the college, were considered to be a significant improvement.  The amendments also retained the garden area, walls and trees and Officers considered the proposals did not have an impact on the college

  Members were informed of a representation received from the Principal of the Leeds College of Art who, whilst welcoming the amendments, considered significant concerns remained, particularly as University status was being sought and the proposals could potentially have an adverse impact on this.  The concerns were summarised and included:

·  impact of traffic; isolation of the College and first impressions of the College and its setting, especially as competition existed for students

·  the offer of an area of land from NGT did not compensate for the loss of land

·  that the alternatives had not been properly explored and that there was no reason why Blenheim Walk had to be a two-way route

·  noise and that this had not been properly assessed

·  that Panel should ask Metro to reconsider the proposals further and in particular not make Blenheim Walk a two-way route

The Panel discussed the changes around the College of Art site and

considered the amendments to be an improvement on the original proposals.  Concerns were raised that specific distances could not be provided in respect of the circulation space outside the front door of the college.  Regarding Blenheim Walk, it was felt that a two-way route improved the situation and slowed down traffic

  The Panel then considered the revisions to Pym Street.  Members were informed that three main options had been reported to the businesses in this area, with a mix of views remaining.  Whilst there was support for NGTs preferred option of retaining the left turn into Pym Street, together with signaling and realignment of Hunslet Road to create a left turn lane, some businesses also sought a new right turn from South Accommodation Road, with Metro undertaking further investigations on this option

  Members welcomed the work which had been done to reach a sensible conclusion for local businesses

  The Panel was referred to the suite of draft conditions appended to the submitted report

  RESOLVED -  That the Panel provides its support to the details of the project set out in the submitted report, subject to the various changes, revisions and amendments to conditions set out in the appendix 3 to the report and continued dialogue with key affected groups

Following consideration of this matter, Councillor J Lewis resumed his seat in the meeting