Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out a position statement in respect of Application No. 17/04351/LA for the construction of a dual carriageway orbital route incorporating new roundabouts, cycle and pedestrian bridges; underpass and overbridge; laying out of country park on land between Ring Road Shadwell and Thorpe Park.

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which sets out a Position Statement in respect of the construction of a dual carriageway orbital route incorporating new roundabouts, cycle and pedestrian bridges; underpass and overbridge; laying out of Country Park on land between Ring Road Shadwell and Thorpe Park.

Site photographs and plans were displayed and referred to throughout the discussion of the application. A ‘fly through’ of the scheme was also shown to Members.

The Planning Case Officer addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

·  The application is for the East Leeds Orbital Road (ELOR), a two lane dual carriageway 7km in length, connecting the A6120 (Outer Ring Road Shadwell) in the north to Manston Lane in the south where it will connect to the Manston Lane Link Road (MLLR) which is to be delivered as part of the Thorpe Park development. The proposed dual carriageway with segregated pedestrian and cycle route on the southern and western side. The proposed dual carriageway includes five new roundabouts at the A6120, A58, Skeltons Lane, the A64 and Barwick Road. Five new crossing facilities are also proposed:

Red Hall Bridge, Country Park Underpass, Wood Lane/Middle Quadrant Bridge, Southern Quadrant Bridge and Cock Beck Overbridge

·  As part of the ELOR proposals, a 9.8ha country park is also to be provided on the land north of the A64 (York Road) and will be to the east of the ELOR. The country park underpass will provide access from the west with the park providing green infrastructure to the road itself and also significant local recreational space for existing and future residents. The country park is also intrinsic to the drainage proposals for ELOR as a series of SuDS features are proposed.

·  The proposed scheme is divided into four main sections:

  Red Hall – between the proposed A6120 roundabout and the proposed

  A58 roundabout

  Northern Quadrant – between the proposed A58 roundabout and   proposed A64 roundabout

  Middle Quadrant – between the A64 roundabout and the new Barwick

  Roundabout

  Southern Quadrant – between the new Barwick Road roundabout and   the tie in to the Manston Lane Link Road Red Hall

·  In addition to the ELOR there are further transport improvements works proposed at various junctions.

·  Explanation was provided that a number of statutory consultees were not fully satisfied with the level of information provided and accordingly further work to resolve these outstanding concerns was underway. Clarification was also provided regarding the assessment provided in paragraph 10.9 of the submitted report to confirm that two separate issues needed to be considered in terms of the Green Belt. The first related to assessing if the proposal had a significant impact on the openness of the Green Belt. The provision of transport infrastructure was considered necessary to enable the delivery of housing and could be considered not to constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt providing its openness was not adversely affected. Given the scheme did not include significant encroachment into the Green Belt (and where encroachment does offer it would either only have a very limited impact on openness or in the case of the country park represent appropriate development) officers were of the view it did not represent inappropriate development. Regarding the matter of referral, only applications which are considered to represent inappropriate development and that harm is judged to be significant need to be referred to the Secretary of State. With this in mind officers also do not consider at this time there is a need to refer the application to the Secretary of State but this position is being kept under review noting the officer assessment has not yet been formally concluded and all statutory consultees have yet to remove any existing objections.

·  As part of the above clarification, question 1 as detailed within the officer report was therefore amended as follows: 1. Do Members accept the principle of the road and country park proposals including the officer’s assessment regarding the impact on the Green Belt?

In response to Members questions, the following issues were discussed:

·  Members queried what noise mitigation measures were in place

·  Concern was expressed that the Railway Line at Scholes would be severed

·  What was the impact on heritage assets

·  Had adequate consultation been carried out

In responding to the issues raised, the Planning Case Officer together with the applicant’s representative provided the following responses:

·  Noise mitigation measures were proposed as part of the scheme including the screening bund which would provide noise attenuation for properties to the west and south. An additional bund will provide noise attenuation for residents of the village of Scholes. Furthermore, 1.8m high noise barriers are proposed along the country park underpass, along the western screening bund and along the western edge of the Cock Beck overbridge. These measures, combined with the intended use of tarmac for the road surface are considered to be sufficient to mitigate the noise impact of the road.

·  It was confirmed that as part of the scheme the railway line at Scholes would be severed. The railway line was currently not in use and it would be costly to re-open. There was no intention at this stage that the line would be re-opened.

·  The Heritage assets were listed in the submitted report, there was some impact on certain assets: Lazencroft Farm and the Pigeon House at Red Hall, and the new Barnbow designation but Historic England had not raised any objections subject to mitigation measure to ensure their survival.

·  On the issue of consultation Members attention was drawn to paragraph 2.16 of the submitted report

In offering comments Members raised the following issues:

·  Members supported the principle of a strategic orbital road to add capacity to the road network

·  The new road network was a necessary prerequisite if new housing proposals were to proceed.

·  Relieving traffic congestion elsewhere on the network would lead to air quality benefits

·  The issues raised by the Chair of the Whinmoor Community Forum (Paragraph 6.7 of the submitted report) required further consideration

·  Members expressed the view that the design of the Cock Beck Overbridge required improvement in terms of aesthetic quality, the bridge should be transformational, contemporary and functional.

·  All crossing points need to be designed as  “safe Places” possible use of CCTV for the Country Park underbridge

·  Some of the footpath/cycle connections required to be looked at in more detail to ensure they were as direct as they could be

In drawing the discussion to a conclusion Members provided the following feedback;

·  Members accepted the principle of the road and country park proposals including the officer assessment of the impact on the Green Belt

·  Members accepted the design approach for ELOR (e.g. 50 MPH, limited junctions) in terms of addressing the strategic objectives for facilitating housing growth/ traffic relief in this part of the city subject to treatment of the existing Green Roads.

·  Members accepted the proposed crossing measures to address connectivity issues for none motorised users, subject to further consideration that all crossing points were designed as “safe places” possible use of CCTV

·  That subject to further consideration on the design of one of the bridges, Members were of the view that the visual impact of the ELOR and the impact on heritage assets was acceptable.

In summing up the Chair said Members were supportive of the proposal and welcomed the progression of the application

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the details contained in the Position Statement

(ii)  That the developers be thanked for their attendance and contribution.