Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for the construction of an office building with associated facilities, parking and landscaping.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented an application for the construction of an office building with associated facilities, parking and landscaping at a site to the north of Whitehall Road (land at the former Doncaster Monk Bridge Works) Leeds.

Members visited the site prior to the meeting and site plans and photographs were displayed and referred to throughout the discussion of the application.

Further issues highlighted in relation to the application included the following:

·  The proposals were presented to Panel as apre-application in August 2023.

·  Initial outline consent was granted in October 2007.

·  The proposals had the full support of a Local Ward Councillor.

·  The proposals were for a 12 storey office building with a ground floor café and co-working spaces.  There would be landscaping improvements and the provision of 10 car parking spaces which would all have electric charging and 138 cycle storage spaces.

·  There would be a roof terrace with soft landscaping and a living wall.

·  Details of the elevation treatments and materials to be used were displayed.

·  There would be a landscaped buffer around the development which would include tree planting.

·  There would be vehicular access to the site from Whitehall Road.

·  Reference to the heritage of the site and how this would be included within the landscaping of the site.  There would also be reference within the internal fabric of the building.

·  Possibility for future connection to the Leeds District Heating Network.

·  CGI images of how the development would appear were displayed.

·  Wind mitigation proposals.

·  The application was recommended to be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer for approval.

In response to questions to officers and the applicant’s representative, the following was discussed:

·  Concerns regarding security of the footpath towards the railway bridge running behind the screened off parts of the colonnade. It was reported that this path would be in addition to the pedestrian route to the front.  The screens would be porous and there would lighting.

·  The screens on the colonnades were for wind mitigation and the area would be covered with CCTV and have lighting.  There would be elements of natural surveillance to the area.  There would also be 24 hour security at the building.

·  There would be a maintenance plan for the landscaped areas and green walls.  Rainwater would be used to feed the green walls.  There would be monitoring of the maintenance agreement.  The maintenance agreement would also cover the replacement of landscaping that had reached the end of its lifespan.

·  There would be a bi-directional cycle path along Whitehall Road along with a footway.

In response to comments from the Panel, discussion included the following:

·  The scheme was generally favourable but there were still concerns regarding the safety of the screened off area of footpath.

·  The cycle path was part of the Active Travel Fund project and did not form part of this application.

·  West Yorkshire Police had been consulted regarding the application and there was a condition relating to security.

·  It was proposed that the application be deferred for further detail on the screened area of footpath.

RESOLVED – That the application be deferred to allow for further information to be provided with regards to security issues regarding the screened footpath and the permeability of the screens.