Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an application which seeks a variation of condition 2 (approved plans) of approval 15/00415/FU to amend the approved drawings to reflect layout and design changes including an increase in units to 316 from 312 dwellings at Low Fold, South Accommodation Road, Leeds LS10 1ND

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which set out details of an application which sought a variation to condition 2 (approved plans) of approval 15/00415/FU to amend the approved drawings to reflect layout and design changes including an increase in units to 316 from 312 dwellings at Low Fold, South Accommodation Road, Leeds, LS10 1ND

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

The City Centre Team Leader addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

·  Members were reminded that the principle of the development had been established by the original planning permission and therefore Government advice was that Local Planning Authorities should focus their attention on significant changes in planning policy or other material considerations since the original grant of permission and on the changes sought.

·  The application was for a variation of condition 2 (approved plans list) of planning permission 15/00415/FU to amend the approved drawings.

·  The proposed amendments included:

- Increase in the number of dwellings from 312 to 316 – increase by 4

- Reduction in car parking from 247 to 237 – loss of 10 car parking spaces

- Change in mix of houses and flats from 150 houses (102 three bed, 48 four bed) and 162 flats (47 one bed, 115 two bed) to 121 houses (79 three bed, 42 four bed) and 191 flats (86 one-bed, 103 two-bed, 2 three-bed and 4 four-bed)

- House types are now categorised into three types:

- type 1 – riverside

- type 2 - mews

- type 3 – dual aspect

- House types feature home offices or bedrooms at ground floor and living room/kitchen at upper floor to give river views to the living rooms of more houses

- Layout changes including the omission of pinch points to the mews houses

- Mews street retained as 10m wide with 3 storey houses either side.

- Planting and bench features to each house frontage to create defensible space to ground floor windows

- Block Z community facility and cycle store in timber

- More uniform arrangement, less stepping in built form and in layout.

- Increased height to apartment blocks facing East Street and South

Accommodation Road to 5-10 storeys from 7-8 storeys

- Changes to the external cladding materials from Eternit fibre cement panels, natural timber cladding and red metal mesh cladding to Trespa panels, cement fibre panels and Rockpanel tiles.

·  The overall design principles remained as approved

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

·  Why was it considered necessary to change the plans

·  The revised scheme resulted in a loss of 10 car parking spaces, would this have implications for on-street parking in the neighbouring area

·  Could sample materials be provided

·  Would the development create employment opportunities for local people

·  The nature of the development appeared to be changing by creating more one bedroom flats and reducing the two and three bed accommodation (Family accommodation)

·  When was it anticipated work would begin on site

·  Could more details be provided about the proposed community facility

·  The north facing block, would light be an issue

·  Were the proposed cladding materials fire resistant

·  Could the river front walkway be linked to the existing riverside path towards the city centre

·  Could more affordable housing be provided to reflect the increase in the number of dwellings

The City Centre Team Leader together with the applicant’s representative provided the following responses:

·  Overall the proposed site layout changes were considered as a positive and would enhance the development by : improving connectivity both visually and physically across the site, improving access to the bridge over the river and rationalising the design to create more usable public space

·  This was a city centre location and it was considered that not all dwellings would require car parking. Visitor parking would be managed and it was considered that adequate parking still remained. However the S106 provided for the developer to fund the expansion of on-street parking controls in the area if the development was found to cause parking problems off site.

·  Sample materials could be provided, the applicant reported that materials were available to view locally at their construction factory and an invitation was extended for Members to visit the factory and view first-hand the quality and application of the materials

·  The applicant had already provided apprenticeships at their construction factory and Members would be made aware of the employment opportunities for local people on their visit

·  In terms of changing the nature of the development, it was suggested that previously some of the duplex apartments had been referred to houses. The intension was to provide a mix of house and flat types across the development, all of which would remain policy compliant in terms of mix and size

·  It was confirmed by the applicant that they were ready to start on site, subject to receiving the necessary planning approvals

·  It was envisaged that the community facility would provide space for meeting/ events, possible kitchen facilities and external barbecue area but details still had to be finalised

·  It was suggested that lighter coloured cladding would be used for north facing units

·  Rigorous testing had been undertaken on the cladding materials to ensure fire resistance and policy compliant

·  Consideration had been given to linking the river front walkway to the existing walkway which was segregated by a car park on the adjacent site including the use of floating walkways but  this proved impractical to deliver

·  The level of affordable housing provision would remain at 5% of the total units as required by planning policy

The Chair welcomed the invitation for Plans Panel Members to visit the factory and view the production processes and to also receive an understanding of the employment and training opportunities for local people and requested that officers make the necessary arrangements.

On the issue of employment opportunities Councillor Gruen requested if details could be provided on the number of jobs created as a result of planning permissions

In responding the Chief Planning Officer said that in consultation with the Chief Officer Employment and Skills the requested information would be gathered and be the subject of a report to a future meeting of Joint Plans Panel.

In offering comments Members raised the following issues:

·  Fantastic development, real progress had been achieved

·  The majority of Members welcomed the new design

·  One Member suggested that there were some areas which were not considered as an improvement; living space on the second floor may not appeal to older residents, the use of the community facility had not been thought through and was to be taken on trust, the earlier design for the riverside walkway was preferable

·  More family accommodation should be provided

·  However, it was accepted that the amended development would still regenerate a vacant site

In summing up the Chair thanked the Developers for their attendance commenting that Members appeared to be supportive of the proposals.

RESOLVED – That the application be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer for approval subject to resolution of detailed highway matters, the conditions attached at appendix 1 of the submitted report (and any others which he might consider appropriate) and following the completion of a Deed of Variation to the original Section 106 agreement.

In the event of the Deed of Variation not having been completed within 3 months of the resolution to grant planning permission, the final determination of the application shall be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer.