Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer relating to Planning and Listed Building applications for Change of Use of part of Braime Pressing to form a new University Technical College

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs, graphics, precedent images and a colour palette of materials were displayed at the meeting.  A Members site visit had taken place earlier in the day

  The Panel considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the current position in respect of proposals to utilise part of the existing Grade II Listed factory building of Braime Pressings for the establishment of a University Technical College (UTC) at Hunslet Road LS10.  Members were informed that Braime Pressings would continue to be used and that the company was reconfiguring their loading bay arrangements to enable the proposals to take place

  Details of the proposed UTC were outlined to Panel, with these including:

·  access details

·  cycle storage, with the re-use of shipping containers being proposed

·  landscaping treatments and the retention of the existing cobbled area

·  detailed design issues

·  the case for considering the use of part of the existing factory site in that it would secure the viable future for part of the Listed Building

The Panel discussed the proposals, with the key areas of debate

focussing on:

·  highways issues, including car parking and the student pick up and drop off arrangements.  The Transport Development Services Manager informed Members that discussions were still taking place on detailed highways issues and that if these were not able to be fully resolved, this matter would need to be returned to Panel for consideration.  The Chair invited the representative for the UTC proposal to address the Panel regarding car parking levels, with Members being informed that UTCs around the country had taken a strong approach to minimising the level of on-site car parking being provided, with 15 spaces being provided on this site, particularly in view of the key links to transport infrastructure which existed and which would serve what would be a more regional college, rather than a local one

·  the use of containers as cycle storage with concerns these were too large and impacted on the setting and views of the UTC

·  noise issues, with concerns expressed about the level of noise experienced by Members on the site visit when standing in the area designated as student recreation space; the need for noise mitigation measures and whether consideration could be given to re-siting the outdoor recreation space towards the building

·  the existence of old, stone gate posts on Sayner Lane and that these should be moved and used within the scheme, possibly within the new boundary treatment

·  the need for a strategic view of this area due to the new education establishments which were already open; the proposals for the Ruth Gorse Academy at Black Bull Street and now a UTC and the need to ensure student safety both in their education facilities and the wider environment, especially in view of the concerns raised at the previous meeting in relation to the speeding vehicles witnessed along Black Bull Street.  On this matter, the Transport Development Services Manager informed Panel that speed surveys had been undertaken on Black Bull Street which showed there were high levels of speeding occurring and that this matter had been passed to relevant officers to co-ordinate with West Yorkshire Police on enforcement.  In relation to the proposals for the Ruth Gorse Academy, there was now a proposal for the implementation of speed limits outside that facility

Although a position statement, in view of the tight development

timescales, in the event planning permission was granted, the Panel noted it was being asked to consider agreeing to the determination of the applications by the Chief Planning Officer, under delegated powers and subject to the resolution of a number of matters, including transport measures

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

·  Agree that the proposed changes to the building would preserve its special historic interest

·  that Members support the ‘car free campus’ approach - whilst noting that 15 car parking spaces were being provided – advocated on this site subject to the resolution of detailed travel and transport measures with the Council’s Highway Services

·  that subject to the detailed agreement of the transport measures with the Council’s Highway Services and other matters, including glazing, new cycle storage proposals, noise attenuation; the moving and re-use of the stone gate posts within the site and reconsideration of the siting of the outside recreational space, that Members agree to the determination of the applications under delegated powers

RESOLVED –  To note the report and the comments now made and

that subject to all the issues raised being satisfactorily addressed, that the application be deferred to the Chief Planning Officer for determination