Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for proposed student accommodation, key worker and apartment buildings on land at St. Michael’s College and Police Depot, St. John’s Road and Belle Vue Road, Little Woodhouse, Leeds.

(report attached)

  Further to minute 184 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 8^th May 2014, where Panel deferred determination of an application for student accommodation, key worker accommodation and apartment buildings to enable further discussions to take place on elements of the proposals, including the size of some of the units, Members considered a further report of the Chief Planning Officer

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting

  Officers presented the report and outlined the changes to the scheme which related to the size of some of the key worker accommodation; the appearance of the new build extensions to the historic college building and the S106 contributions.  Members were also informed that a list of eligible occupations had been drawn up for the key worker units, with a salary threshold also being stipulated

  In respect of the S106 contributions an additional £150,000 had been offered towards off-site greenspace.  On the travel plan, Members were informed that the finer details of this were required

  If minded to approve the application in principle, an amendment to the recommendation within the submitted report was sought, to remove the reference to the resolution of issues relating to the provision of accessible student bedrooms, as this matter had been resolved and to include the submission of details of the travel plan for approval

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

·  the extent of improvements which had been made to the development, with mixed views on this

·  the timescale for completion of the S106 Agreement and that delays should not occur

·  the importance of context being provided for Members when considering applications for student accommodation to ensure the current situation on supply and demand was provided as part of the information within reports

·  the design of the proposals and the quality of living which would be provided which was considered to be less than the scheme seen in Manchester

·  the size of the smaller units with some concerns being raised about the living conditions for residents of these units

·  the level of the affordable rents and the monitoring of the proposed key worker accommodation in the future as units were subject to changes in ownership and occupation.  The Panel’s legal adviser stated that this matter could be future-proofed in the S106 Agreement

·  the need for a Leeds standard for residential accommodation

The Head of Planning Services stated that work on devising a Leeds

standard was progressing.  On the comments regarding the standard of the units compared to those seen in Manchester, Members were informed that the rental levels on the units in Manchester were higher than those proposed on this site; that the current proposals provided communal facilities for the key worker apartments such as a gym, games and reading rooms and represented a conversion of an existing premises with significant costs and that a financial viability assessment had been submitted and the developers had offered to go beyond that assessment in terms of planning contributions

  RESOLVED -  To defer and delegate to the Chief Planning Officer for approval subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report, and any others which he might consider appropriate; details and the completion of a Section 106 Agreement to include the following obligations:

·  the provision of 259 low cost housing units at an affordable rent (not more than 80% of local market rent of not less than equivalent quality and specification) to key workers with a total gross salary of no more than £30,000 for single person units and a combined household salary of £60,000 for two person units (para 2.12-2.1.3)

·  scheme of monitoring of the key worker accommodation to ensure its occupation would continue to meet the agreed key worker criteria

·  phasing of the development to ensure the renovation of the St Michael’s College 1908 building as part of the first phase of development

·  a public transport contribution of £30,000 to be spent on improvements to the existing pedestrian bridge over the Inner Ring Road to help link the site to the City Centre

·  implementation of an approved Green Travel Plan

·  travel plan review fee of £4,500

·  provision of space for City Car Club within the development and £25,000 for free trial membership and usage of the car club

·  a sum of £15,000 to be spent on revising Traffic Regulation Orders if the development results in on-street parking problems

·  a contribution of £10,000 towards local bus stop infrastructure improvements or sustainable travel measures

·  a contribution of £170,000 to the provision of improvements to off-site greenspace

·  student occupation of student building during recognised Higher Education term time

·  control of student car use in tenancy agreement

·  community use of a room in one of the buildings for not less than 2 hours per calendar month free of charge

·  local employment and training initiatives

·  Section 106 management fee

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 16.4, Councillor R Procter required it to be recorded that she voted against the matter