Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding full and listed building applications for the variation of the approved plans for replacement weirs

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting.  A Members site visit had taken place earlier in the day

  With reference to minute 59 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 17^th January 2013 and minute 91 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 24^th October 2013, where applications for two replacement weirs and flood defences and cut were approved as part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS), Officers presented the report which related to revisions to the design and location of the movable weirs

  The revisions and design changes were outlined, with Members being informed that these were necessary to improve efficiency and assist in the delivery of other elements of the Leeds FAS

  Regarding the use of reclaimed stone for the cladding material for the in channel piers, these would now be finished in concrete as engineers had indicated there were concerns about the strength of the reclaimed stone to undergo the demolition and rebuilding process.  It was also stated that the use of concrete would provide better construction and would result in reduced maintenance requirements to remove vegetation growth

  The Council’s Conservation Officer had raised concerns about the use of concrete, although English Heritage had not commented.  If minded to approve the applications, suitable conditions to control the external appearance of the weirs would be included

  Members discussed the applications, with the main issues relating to:

·  the design of the control cabinets

·  the case for not reusing the stone due to concerns about its strength and whether this could be justified

·  the visual appearance of concrete cladding which would not be in keeping with its surroundings

·  that concrete could be considered to be acceptable at Knostrop Weir but not at Leeds Weir in view of its prominent location

·  the need for regular maintenance of the weirs to ensure that damaging vegetation was removed

·  concerns about the dominance of the weirs

·  the absence of a water turbine at Leeds Weir

The Chief Planning Officer highlighted the different elements of the

scheme and suggested that for Leeds Weir, stone could be used on the side elements, with concrete being used in the middle, which would better reflect the location.  Members considered this, with the suggestion being made that stone should also be used in the middle at Leeds Weir, so long as the engineering works were not compromised by this

  The Panel considered how to proceed

  RESOLVED:

  Application 14/01511/FU

 To defer and delegate approval of the application to the Chief Planning Officer, subject to the conditions set out in Appendix 1 of the submitted report and subject to the use of stone at Leeds Weir, subject to details being agreed with English Heritage and the Council’s Conservation Officer and in the event this matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved, to bring a further report to Panel for final approval of the application

  Application 14/01713/LI

  To agree in principle and defer and delegate to allow the application to be referred to the Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government