Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on pre-application proposals for a residential development and to receive a presentation on the proposals on behalf of the developer

(report attached)

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

  Members considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer outlining proposals for a major residential development on land comprising the majority of the housing allocation site and the vacated brownfield land on the former Seacroft Hospital site.  The former Plans Panel East had considered a pre-application presentation in July 2012 for a larger scheme of 600 dwellings, with that Panel stating clearly the desire to see a comprehensive redevelopment of the site

  Members were informed that the Homes and Communities Agency had acquired additional land and had now brought the site forward for development.  It was noted that a site for a possible secondary school adjacent to the housing site was being considered

  Whilst many of the existing hospital buildings had been demolished, the Grade II Listed clock tower would be retained together with the administration building.  The Arts and Crafts villa on the site was a building which Officers wished to retain but if convinced about its replacement with a good quality scheme, the loss of the villa could be considered to be acceptable

  The Panel then received a presentation on the proposals from representatives of  the applicant’s agent and architect

  The proposals were outlined, with the following details being highlighted to Members:

·  the size of the proposed residential scheme, with this now being 500 dwellings and not 550 as stated in the submitted report

·  the proposed phasing of the development

·  the consultation process which had been undertaken and that a further consultation event was proposed in September, together with a meeting with Ward Members to consider transport issues

·  technical consultation relating to flood risk, drainage and transport

·  that two options for surface water strategies had been developed; the extent of the Wyke Beck catchment in terms of flood risk and the extent to which this site was situated in the Wyke Beck catchment

·  job creation, with 56 apprenticeships and 192 local jobs to be created through the scheme

·  the level of CIL contributions which would be £901,416 with additional contributions to address flood risk; open space; public transport; affordable housing at a level of 15% and training and employment initiatives

·  detailed design issues relating to the latest iteration of the layout, access, including to the Blood Transfusion Service; parking provision; landscaping; proposals for the removal of the villa; the proposed gateway entrance and the proposed treatment of the Listed clock tower

·  the possibility of a secondary school being sited on land adjacent to the site

The Chair invited a representative of Childrens Services to provide

information on the possible provision of a new secondary school adjacent to the site.  Members were informed that the site was feasible for a six-form entry secondary school but as the Council could not establish a new school then any provision would need to be an academy or a community school operating as a split site or through school

  The Council would need to undertake consultation on the requirement for a secondary school and seek to acquire the site whilst simultaneously looking to academy sponsors

  It was accepted that additional places were required in the area, however Childrens Services were undertaking appraisals of other sites also.  The cost element of acquiring the site would be a considerable issue for the Authority and it would have to be demonstrated that no other options existed.  Whilst Officers in Childrens Services were working closely with City Development colleagues to reach a conclusion, it was not possible at this stage to confirm that this site would be pursued for secondary education provision

  Members questioned the applicant’s representatives and commented on the following matters:

·  drainage, that two possible solutions were welcomed but that one of these would need to be agreed with Temple Newsam Ward Members, in whose Ward the Dunhill estate was situated which had been subjected to several flooding incidents

·  concern at the inclusion of single aspect dwellings in the scheme with the view that back to back dwellings should not be being provided in Leeds in the 21^st century

·  the internal space standards proposed.  The applicant’s representative stated that these did not comply with the national space standards and that Members’ views on the issue of house sizes made earlier in the meeting had been noted.  In terms of housing mix, the proposals ranged from 1 bed apartments to 5 bed houses

·  detailed design issues relating to the siting of front doors on the semi-detached dwellings and the loss of the Arts and Crafts villa

·  the proposals for an urban green corridor with concerns that further work was required on this element

The Panel then heard representations from two Ward Members;

Councillor Selby and Councillor Hyde who raised concerns about the proposals, which included:

·  the extent of development in the surrounding area and further afield which would impact on local residents

·  air pollution in view of the increased traffic and the need for Public Health to be consulted on this

·  the likely impact of further residential development if the site for a new secondary school did not proceed

·  drainage; that the proposed options were not appropriate and that the wider picture had to be considered, particularly as other proposed developments would drain into Wykebeck Valley and that the cumulative impact of the proposed developments on this site and further afield had to be properly considered

·  the rationale behind demolishing the Arts and Crafts villa at a time when the city was considering bidding to become European  Capital of Culture

·  the lack of greenspace provision and concerns about biodiversity

·  the tight timescales involved; that Ward Members had not been shown the latest proposed layout, that much more work needed to be undertaken and that a clear steer from Childrens Services was required in respect of secondary school provision, particularly in view of the shortage of secondary school places

·  the need for additional primary school places which also had to be addressed

·  that local awareness of the proposals was increasing as were the concerns about the impacts of increased development in this area

·  highways, that this was a key factor and that the provision of what could be eight sets of traffic lights in under three quarters of a mile was not acceptable

The Chair then invited the Council’s Flood Risk Manager to

outline further the flooding issues relating to this area and the two options proposed for dealing with surface water, for Members’ information.  The Panel continued to discuss the flooding issues with reference being made to a Scrutiny Inquiry into recent flood events which had concluded that the increased amount of hard surfacing which had been laid had been a factor in the flooding incidents experienced in some parts of Leeds

  In response to the specific issues raised in the report for Members’ consideration, the following comments were made:

·  that in respect of the Arts and Crafts villa, to note there was a mix of views as to whether this should be retained and that together with details about the layout and design of the proposals, further details were required.  Some support was noted in respect of the spine road as presented

·  that in terms of the nature and location of greenspaces on the site and linkages into the wider strategic green links across this part of the city, Members required that sufficient greenspace was provided and that as many links be established as possible, with the view being expressed that a green corridor was a possible way forward.  The importance of usable green space was stressed.  In response to the suggestion by the applicant’s representative that a possible contribution to the upkeep of Primrose Valley Park could be considered, the Chair was of the view that sufficient on-site green space was required

·  in terms of the nature and type of housing provision on the site, it was felt that further details on this were required and that the possibility of including some accommodation for older people should be considered

·  that much further detail was required of the proposed drainage strategy

·  the need for the super cycle highway/junction to be incorporated.  Members were advised this was propsed

RESOLVED -  To note the report, the presentation and the comments

now made