Agenda item

Further to minute 111 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 21^st November 2013, where Panel received a presentation on pre-application proposals for 113 residential units on land at former Yorkshire Chemicals site between River Aire and Leeds Liverpool Canal, to consider a further report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the formal application

(report attached)

  Further to minute 111 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 21^st November 2013, where Panel received a pre-application presentation on proposals for a residential development on land at the former Yorkshire Chemicals site at Wellington Road, Members considered the formal application

  Plans, photographs, graphics and 3d images were displayed at the meeting.  A recent visit to a similar development in Wakefield had been undertaken by Members and Officers

  Officers presented the report and outlined the proposals, with Members being informed for clarity that a new pedestrian and cycle bridge which formed part of the extant permission for the site did not form part of the application under consideration

  An update to the report was provided, with Members being informed that the Travel Plan Co-ordinator would now be in place within 3 months of the first occupation of the first dwelling, which was an improvement on the previous proposal

  The Panel discussed the proposals and commented on the following matters:

·  the design of the bin stores and that something more substantial than the tressilated fencing proposed should be provided

·  the visual prominence of the road

·  the landscaping proposals, whether additional soft planting could be provided to soften the roadside, including views of the southern gable end and boundary fencing to the terrace of 3-bedoom houses.  The Deputy Area Planning Manager advised that the full planting scheme would be controlled by condition and that what was being shown was for illustrative purposes only

·  possible flood risk.  Members were informed that the site levels were being raised by 600mm and that the Environment Agency was satisfied with the proposals

·  the layout of the scheme and the inclusion of longer blocks of units, unlike the scheme seen at Wakefield which contained groups of four properties.  In response to a query from the Chief Planning Officer as to the ability to provide smaller blocks of properties, the Chair invited the applicant and his agent to address the Panel, with Members being informed that this had been considered but would result in a loss of a number of units across the site which could give rise to issues of viability

·  that what was being built was back to back properties, with some being north facing so they would not benefit from sunlight

·  design issues relating to roof configuration and whilst the inclusion of chimneys was welcomed, the random siting of these across the site was a concern

·  the constraints of the site and that the proposals were an improvement on blocks of flats

Members considered how to proceed

  RESOLVED -  To defer and delegate approval to the Chief Planning Officer, subject to further discussions in respect of the fencing to the bin stores, additional soft landscaping and inclusion of chimneys across the site and subject to the specified conditions set out in the submitted report (and any others which he might consider appropriate) and also the completion of a Section 106 agreement to include the following obligations:

·  provision of 5% (6 no) affordable housing units

·  £170,671 greenspace contribution

·  £107,598 education contribution

·  £31,440 improvement works to local highway network

·  £35,470 public transport infrastructure contribution

·  £2,565 travel plan review fee and travel plan measures including co-ordinator

·  £6,780 provision of free trial membership of the city car club

·  Ensure public access to the open space area

·  Maintenance of public areas

·  Ensuring ability to connect to the bridge over the River Aire

·  Use of best endeavours to create 2 no. links to canal towpath

·  Retention of meadow area

·  Revocation of Hazardous Substances Consent – if this is considered to represent the best method by which this can be achieved

·  Local employment initiatives

·  Any other obligations which arise as part of the application process

In the circumstances where the Section 106 has not been completed within 3 months of the resolution to grant planning permission, the final determination of the application shall be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer

  Under Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillor Nash required it to be recorded that she voted against this matter