Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an hybrid planning application for full planning permission (phase 1) to erect part 5 storey rising to part 10 storey educational building (use Class D 1) including associated access, parking and landscaping and outline planning permission (Phase 2) for part 10 and part 11 storey educational buildings (use class D1) on land at Quarry Hill/ Eastgate, Leeds, LS2 7UP.

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which set out details of an

Hybrid application for full planning permission (Phase1) to erect part 5 storey, rising to part 10 storey educational building (use class D1) including associated access, parking and landscaping and outline planning permission (Phase 2) for part 10 and part 11 storey educational buildings (use class D1) on land at Quarry Hill/ Eastgate, Leeds, LS2 7UP

Site photographs and plans were displayed and referred to throughout the discussion of the application.

In addition to the representations referred to in the submitted report, the Chief Planning Officer reported the receipt of further letters of representation as follows:

A petition from a nearby resident containing 23 signatures and an additional letter from a local resident objecting to the loss of greenspace, the biodiversity and visual amenity provided by the site.

In responding officers reported that the matters raised were addressed in section 8.9 of the submitted report and Members were advised that the site was an identified development site that was not a public green space. The loss of existing trees and biodiversity was acknowledged and the development proposal sought to mitigate this through new tree planting, provision of bat roosts and bird boxes, and the provision of green roofs and walls.

A letter from West Yorkshire Playhouse in support of the application, but highlighting potential concerns about impact on West Yorkshire Playhouse’s operations during the construction period.

In responding officers advised that condition No. 24 relating to the construction arrangements could be expanded to require consultation with West Yorkshire Playhouse so that the works caused minimal disruption.

An additional letter of overall support from the Leeds Civic Trust but requiring the details of the filigree screen to be agreed prior to planning permission being granted, raising concerns that the plinth does not engage with the street and should incorporate an entrance and seeking further details of the proposed enhancement to the gateway court area.

Addressing these comments officers advised that the approach to the filigree screen demonstrated that there was opportunity to provide an artistic design that related to the uses within the college and that it was reasonable to control the full details of this by condition. The plinth provided a clear base to the building and a buffer to the busy highway. Its treatment with window openings and green walls provides visual interest and the College’s strategy was to provide entrances from Playhouse Square. The Gateway Court area was outside the ownership of the applicant and not necessary to provide access to the development. However, its improvement would help to better serve the Quarry Hill area generally. Therefore the Council had secured a significant contribution from the sale of the site for development towards these improvements.

A letter of objection from Caddicks (the adjacent landowner) stating that phase 1 should be the same height as Caddick’s block F; that the extension of Playhouse Square adversely affected the opportunity to improve the Gateway Court area; the development should share the cost of the Section 106 obligations placed on the Caddick development proposal relating to off-site highway improvements; the phase 2 design parameters should include scoping for the landscaping and material details.

Officers advised that Phase 1 would be only 3m higher than block F at a gap of approximately 40m and that this relationship was considered acceptable. The changes to Playhouse Square were relatively minor and enable an access to be created towards Eastgate. They are not considered to prejudice the potential for improvements to Gateway Court which remained to be designed. It was not considered reasonable or appropriate to revisit the off-site highway works improvements already secured by the Caddick development. The College proposals would only be required to address any additional impact that they may have. The design parameters for phase 2 did control the scale and footprint but at this stage not enough was known about the College’s future requirements and available funding to control details of landscaping and materials.

In addressing the report the Chief Planning Officer outlined the current proposal:

·  The proposal was for a new build college facility, delivered in two phases, 17 month build programme (operational by July 2018)

·  The building is a series of linked building blocks sitting on a plinth which follows the curved frontage to Eastgate.

·  The blocks step up in height 5 – 10 storeys (Phase 1)

·  8 storey’s rising to 11 (Phase 2) It was reported that this had been reduced in scale since the report was published

·  The proposals had been developed to align to key vistas and respect the entrance to the Quarry Hill site from Eastgate and Gateway Court 

·  The buildings progressively stepped back on the east/west axis to create a tiered effect, which also facilitates the delivery of an external terrace area providing an opportunity to integrate with Gateway Court.

·  A public accessible route through the buildings to the main central area of open space is also proposed on the southern elevation to provide pedestrian permeability. 

·  A series of design changes had been made to the building following discussion of the application at the pre application stage

·  The Travel Plan for the scheme promoted a car free development, proposing to make provision for servicing and disabled parking only on the site.

·  The building will be designed to achieve BREEAM excellent status, utilising energy efficient plant, LED lighting and photo- voltaic technology would be incorporated on the roof top areas together with other energy saving measures

·  There remained a number of outstanding highway matters including: an assessment of the potential impact on the Mabgate access junction, pick up and drop off details and agreement of the servicing and delivery arrangements.

·  The applicant’s and Council’s wind consultants agree that generally the wind environment would be suitable for the intended uses. However, mitigation measures were required to address limited occasions when wind speeds were likely to cause distress conditions. Officers were awaiting confirmation that the nature of the required mitigation would not affect the scale, layout and form of the proposed buildings and were likely to be limited to more minor works relating to landscaping treatment and provision of screens and canopies. Subject to this officers propose to deal with the detail mitigation measures by planning condition. 

In response to Members comments and questions the following issues were raised:

·  (Although not strictly required to serve the College buildings) the improvements of Gateway Court ( the principle means of access to Quarry Hill from the West) was an important consideration, Members emphasised the need for this development to proceed

·  Lighting and security measures for the public routes was important

·  Further details of pedestrian flow /right of way through the scheme were required

·  Disabled access to the site required clarification

·  Further details of pick up and drop off points were required

·  The relationship of the phase 2 development to the to the nearby Caddick scheme

·  Clarification of the wind impact assessment and mitigation measures

·  Concerns were expressed about car parking availability in the area

(At this point in the meeting Councillor J McKenna vacated the Chair, Councillor N Walshaw assumed the Chair, Councillors: E Nash and J Procter also left the meeting)

Responding to the issue of car parking availability within the area, the Chief Planning officer said that the proposed use of the site was acceptable and that the existing parking provision for the area would not be affected by the development

Concerning the development of Gateway Court, Members stressed the importance for this development to proceed and requested that the Executive Member responsible be informed accordingly

In summing up the Chair said this was an innovative/ quality design and Members were supportive of the proposal. He suggested there were a number of outstanding issues which could be addressed through condition, or if they were unresolved or substantial design changes required then the application would be brought back to Panel.

The Chair thanked the developers for their attendance and contributions

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the application be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer for approval, subject to the satisfactory resolution of the following outstanding matters:

·  Highway circulation, drop – off and servicing layout

·  Wind impact mitigation measures

·  Travel Plan measures

and subject to the conditions to control lighting and security details, a condition requiring consultation on the construction arrangements with West Yorkshire Playhouse and subject to the   conditions specified in the submitted report (and any other conditions which he may consider necessary)

(ii)  The Chair to write to the Executive Member responsible seeking delivery of the Gateway Court improvements as soon as possible