Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding a position statement/pre-application presentation on the progress of the Kirkstall Forge Development in accordance with outline planning permission 11/01400/EXT for a mixed use development comprising residential, offices, leisure, hotel, retail & bar/restaurants including access, site remediation, construction of bridges and river works, car parking and landscaping

This is a pre-application presentation and no formal decision on the development will be taken, however it is an opportunity for Panel Members to ask questions, raise issues, seek clarification and comment on the proposals at this stage. A ward member or a nominated community representative has a maximum of 15 minutes to present their comments. 

  Photographs, drawings and precedent images were displayed at the meeting 

The Panel considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the progress of the Kirkstall Forge development in accordance with the outline planning permission 11/01400/EXT for a major mixed-use development to include residential, commercial, retail and leisure uses together with site remediation; construction of bridges, river works, parking and landscaping

Officers presented the report; outlined the historic relevance of the site and commended the cohesive way in which the site was being brought forward, with the development being likened potentially to Saltaire, in that the facilities provided on the site would be used by the people who lived there

The Panel then received a presentation on the current position on behalf of the architects involved

  Members were provided with details of the scheme which included:

·  connectivity of the site and that a key link would be the new bridge link to the new railway station – referred to as ‘the stitch’

·  the provision of two key gateways, one being Forge square and the other being the water gardens

·  the creation of a new boulevard which would be south facing to the River Aire and a series of perpendicular routes down to the river

·  that a one form entry primary school at the western end of the site was being considered

·  building heights, these being mainly 6 storeys with some 7 storey buildings on the south side; increased height on the area referred to as the ‘nose cone’ and lower heights to the north, of 3 – 4 storeys for the residential dwellings

·  that a design guide had been drawn up which included ten distinct character areas

·  site ‘A’, located at the end of the island and that two blocks of bespoke, private rented accommodation was proposed of around 200 units in total (with around 40 private for sale units), all of which would provide good views to the valley and would benefit from generous amenity space, with good levels of sun light through the day and late evening

·  that to generate a sense of community, there would be one entrance per residential block with a café situated at the base of one of the blocks

·  proposed materials would comprise brick, masonry and glazing for the residential elements with metal in bronze/gold tones being considered for the commercial unit, together with brick work

·  site ‘B’ which would be the office block; that this was in a key location, directly connected to the railway station; it would attract inward investment to Kirkstall Forge; would provide commercial accommodation to a BREEAM ‘excellent’ standard and would take advantage of the views which would be an additional attraction

·  detailed design issues relating to the fenestration to the commercial block and how this related to some of the historic mill buildings

·  that the proposed houses on the site would use the ideas of courts, terraces and roof gardens, together with integrated parking, vibrant use of streets and landscaping, with a new housing typology being proposed

·  that the next steps would be to continue the collaborative process and work up the Reserved Matters applications

The Panel then heard representations from Councillor Illingworth - a

Ward Member - who outlined the following issues in respect of the proposals:

·  S106 contributions and that consideration be given to directing funds to the Hawksworth Estate in view of the level of need in this part of the area

·  Transport – walking and cycling – that the scheme provided an opportunity to create an extensive walking and cycling route; through to Apperley Bridge; the need to improve the tow-path access, particularly as cyclists conflicted with pedestrians at this point; the need to address the capacity on Route 66

·  concerns about remedying the civil engineering problems at Burley Rugby Club in view of the narrowness of the pathway and the likely expense of addressing this issue

·  road access – the need to plan ahead for additional road capacity, especially at Kirkstall gyratory

·  the need to consider other, planned developments in the area which will increase the amount of car journeys on the local road network

·  rail – that the new railway station was welcomed but there was a need for railway stations at Armley and Kirkstall Bridge to be re-opened

·  that trains from Skipton needed to stop at Kirkstall Forge station

·  there was a need for four tracks on the Aire Valley railway line

Members discussed the report and presentation, with the following key

Issues being raised:

·  the new station at Kirkstall Forge, with concerns being raised this would only serve passengers travelling between Leeds and Bradford and therefore would not serve the wider community

·  the need to ensure the walk through from the station into the development was well lit to provide a safe, welcoming route at night time

·  levels of car parking at the station and whether the 132 spaces would be sufficient to cater for the numbers using the new station

·  the restoration of the historic houses on the site

·  flooding

·  the extent of job creation arising from the proposals

·  the size of the units and how these related to the Leeds Standard

·  pedestrian connectivity and the need to link a crossing point to the side of the railway

·  the need for a further presentation on the scheme to inform Members how it was progressing and for further details to be provided on other elements of the scheme, rather than focussing primarily on the residential and commercial buildings

·  the need for a site visit

Members commended the holistic approach being adopted by the

applicant and the excellent partnership which existed on this project

  In relation to the comments made by Councillor Illingworth, it was suggested that Councillor Illingworth discuss these issues with Officers and that a report on the points raised be brought to Panel in due course

  In response to the specific issues raised in the report, the Panel provided the following comments:

·  to note Members’ comments about the development of the site and that Members were content with the approach being taken so far to the phasing of the different elements of the scheme and that as phases were brought forward that they should be set within the overall context of the site as a whole

·  that further details were needed on the design quality of the residential and office blocks proposed as part of Phase 1, but that to date, they were developing well

·  that further details were needed on the general siting of the buildings and the spaces between them, including the distances between facing windows for privacy and overlooking

Following consideration of this matter, Councillors Campbell, Lewis and

Walshaw left the meeting