Agenda item

The report of the Chief Planning Officer asks Members to consider the position statement for the erection of fire station, training tower, training yard and associated parking and landscaping Land off Black Moor Road, Moortown, Leeds

 

(Report attached)

It was noted that Councillor Grahame did not take part in this item, minute 156 refers.

 

The report of the Chief Planning Officer sought consideration of a pre-application submission for the development of land at The Ring Road Moortown, Black Moor Road and Alderton Bank for the purpose of a new fire station.

 

Members were informed this proposed new fire station would replace the existing fire stations at Cookridge and Moortown which were due to close.

 

Members were advised that paragraph 10.2 of the submitted report listed other sites that had been considered and the reasons that they were unsuitable.

 

Members were informed that the new station would be a 2 storey building with rooms located within the roof slope. The building would be no more than 1 metre higher than properties in the area however the training tower would be 14 metres high. The station would be a 2 bay fire station with parking for 6 staff cars and ambulance bay.

 

It was noted that egress would be to Black Moor Road with vehicles returning to the station via Alderton Bank.

 

Members were informed that 19 letters of objection had been received and a petition containing 50 signatures was submitted to the agents and copied to Leeds Planning. Members also noted that Cllr. Cohen had raised an objection to the application, his submission was read out at the meeting for Members consideration.

 

Cllr. Cohen’s objections were as follows:

·  Not appropriate to build on green space

·  Other suitable sites exist for this development

·  Unduly negative impact on the local area and out of character. Training Tower is particularly dominant.

·  Impact on busy road network

·  Loss of visual amenity and privacy for adjacent occupants.

·  Insufficient car parking

·  Concerns are shared with concerns raised by Yorkshire Water in relation to drainage issues

·  Significant local concerns, evidenced by the number of objectors

 

Ms T Levy and Ms S Broadbent were present at the meeting representing local residents who were objecting to the site of the new fire station.

 

Ms Levy and Ms Broadbent informed the Panel that there was limited green space in the area and this part was used by children and dog walkers. They said that they had been verbally assured that no further development would take place on that green space after the Moor Allerton Centre had been built.

 

Ms Levy and Ms Broadbent listed their objections as the following:

·  Visual impact would be compromised due to the 2.8 metre wire mesh fencing, station building and tower

·  The loss of trees even with planting of new trees as they would not mature for a number of years

·  Traffic is already bad particularly on a weekend heading towards the Moor Allerton Centre

·  The junction at Black Moor Road has had a number of accidents

·  The building will obscure the junction

·  Parking will be an issue particularly on social occasions such as ‘Fun Days

·  Noise disturbance and disturbed sleep not only during leaving to attend a call but also when returning to the station.

·  Green space further along the road could be used

·  The training tower would be four storeys high and raises privacy concerns

·  Flood Management of the land had not been resolved

·  The land is currently used by all the community

·  Other park area is too far away from the houses on Black Moor Road and Alderton Bank

·  Concerns in relation to lighting

 

Attending the meeting on behalf of the applicant were Michelle Davies the agent, Ian Bitcon, Martin Langan and Rob Davison of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority.

 

They informed the Panel that Government cuts imposed on the Fire Service necessitated the closure of the stations at Cookridge and Moortown. They explained that there was a narrow pool of sites relative to response times and this site had taken 5 years to find. They had looked at other sites such as old Weetwood Police Station and the University playing fields.

 

It was noted that much of the ring road was protected as green belt however the chosen site was protected green space.

 

The site had been reduced so as to use less of the open space with approximately 2.78 hectares still remaining.

 

Members were informed that the Fire Service wanted to be good neighbours and try to ensure that noise and light from the station is kept to a minimum with training sessions in the yard during daytime only.

 

Members had noted that the new site was close to the old Moortown fire station approximately 1.1 miles. In response to Members questions about remodelling the old Moortown station they were informed that this distance could mean a 3 minute difference in attending a fire within the 8 minutes timescale. It was also explained that the new site provided quicker access to the ring road.

 

The Panel was told that this site was not ideal and that the preferred site was the old Weetwood Police Station, the site was twice as big however it would be too expensive.

 

The Fire Service was asked to consider different materials for the training tower and that a similar design to the Rawdon Station might be better and that access to the station for returning vehicles might be better positioned on Black Moor Road away from residential properties.

 

Members discussed at length the following points:

·  The design of the station including the layout and parking arrangements

·  The position of the new site

·  The access onto the ring road including the use of new traffic lights at the junction of Black Moor Road.

·  Landscaping around the site

 

Members discussed the following points in relation to highways:

·  Highway access and parking and requested more details on access arrangements and operation of the main egress as no plan of the proposal was available. 

·  The number of accesses on Alderton Bank was of concern and the potential for disturbance from returning vehicles. 

·  The level of car parking and impact on neighbours during community events was also a concern to members.

 

Members’ attention was directed to a number of questions set out in the submitted report

 

At the conclusion of question 1 the Chair proposed that the Panel should not go through the rest of the questions as the Panel did not accept the principle of the development put before them.

 

RESOLVED – Members note that the preferred site was Weetwood and asked that more work to be undertaken on the Weetwood site.

 

Members also gave consideration in regard to the potential redevelopment of the existing Moortown Station site.  Members request that further information on both options be brought back to the Panel.