Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for the use of vacant land for the stationing of caravans for occupation by gypsy-traveller with associated development including new access track, hard standing, utility building, fencing, external lighting and foul drainage.

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

  The Chief Planning Officer presented the report which related to the use of a site, designated for allotment purposes in the 2006 UDP Review, for the one permanent mobile home, utility block, three temporary pitches and associated hardstanding on a site to the rear of Sandon Mount Hunslet LS10

  Members were informed that the caravan would be sited adjacent to the motorway embankment and that there were concerns about the level of noise which would be experienced by the occupier.  Furthermore, the nature of the caravans would not lend itself to suitable noise mitigation and that the approval of a previous housing development close by had included specific noise mitigation measures

  The lack of greenspace of all types in the area was also outlined

  The context of the application in respect of policy H7 of the Core Strategy Draft Site Allocations plans for the Inner South Area had been revised in response to comments by the Inspector was outlined together with details of the work undertaken by the Council to bring forward more traveller sites; the application for an extension to the Cottingley Springs site, which was currently with the Secretary of State for determination and that a further site at Kidacre Street which had been identified for 15 pitches and would be brought to Panel for determination shortly

  The Chief Planning Officer also outlined other criteria for considering a site suitable for pitches/plots as set out in the submitted report; stressed that the current land use of the site was for allotment purposes; that the provision of future Gypsy and Traveller sites was through the Site Allocations process and that the application was premature in view of this

  The application was recommended to Panel for refusal, with suggested reasons being included in the Chief Planning Officer’s report

  The Panel heard representations from the applicant’s representative who highlighted the main aspects of the case, which included:

·  the urgent need for accommodation for the applicant

·  the length of time taken by the LPA to consider the application

·  the lack of provision of Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Leeds

·  the lack of evidence to demonstrate excessive noise levels at the site and that permission had been granted for other sites close to the M621

·  the willingness to take measures to mitigate against the noise levels from the nearby motorway

·  that use of the site as allotments was unlikely in the near future

The applicant who was in attendance responded to questions from the

Panel

  The Panel then heard representations from a representative of the Hunslet Carr Residents Association who supported the Officer’s recommendation to refuse the application and who outlined concerns which included:

·  the proximity of the site to residential dwellings

·  the highway implications of the proposals; on-street parking and access arrangements for caravans

·  the number of proposed and existing Gypsy-Traveller sites in South Leeds

·  the lack of local support for the proposals

·  that as a privately-owned site, it would be unregulated

·  that the nearby school wished to use the land for growing produce, with there being local support for this use

The Panel discussed the application, with the main issues relating

to:

·  possible noise mitigation.  The Chief Planning Officer read out the submission from the applicant’s agent which declined to undertake any mitigation measures which could be implemented

·  the need for the site to be considered as part of the Site Allocations process

At this point Councillor Coulson brought to the Panel’s attention that he

was a member of the Development Plan Panel which was considering site allocations

·  the shortfall of suitable Gypsy-Traveller sites and when further provision would be available

·  the existence of an earlier report which recommended approval of the application and what had changed since that time.  The Chief Planning Officer stated that the previous Officer report was an earlier draft and did not carry the authority of the Chief Planning Officer

·  the arguments put forward at the Public Inquiry into the Cottingley Springs expansion and concerns from the H&SE about aspects of the site proposed at Kidacre Street

·  the difficulties in considering this site in view of the Site Allocations process which was ongoing and the importance of not having piecemeal development

·  the lack of green space in the local area, particularly for the local primary school

·  the needs of the applicant and equality issues

·  the likely future use of the land

·  that small encampments did not tend to give rise to some of the issues seen at the Cottingley Springs site

·  highways issues.  On this matter the Panel’s highways representative stated that there was sufficient road width and good access to Belle Isle Road to accommodate a static and three touring caravans

·  the robustness of the report before Members

The Panel considered how to proceed

  RESOLVED -  That the application be refused for the following reasons:

1 The use of the site for a Gypsy and Traveller caravan site is premature in respect of the current allocation of the site for allotment purposes in the 2006 UDP Review.  The appropriate route for determining such matters is via the Site Allocations process in the context of the deficiencies of open spaces in the Inner Area Housing Market Characteristic Area

2 That the location of the proposed Gypsy and Traveller site is in conflict with Policy GP5 of the UDP in terms of environmental intrusion and loss of amenity arising from noise from the adjoining M621