Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all in attendance to the meeting.

To declare any personal / prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Councillor Anderson declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 8 entitled, ‘West Leeds Gateway Area Action Plan’, due to being a Director of West North West Leeds Homes ALMO and a member of the ‘Friends of Leeds City Museum’ Board (Minute No. 12 refers).

Councillor D Blackburn declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 8 entitled, ‘West Leeds Gateway Area Action Plan’, due to being a member of the West Leeds Gateway Regeneration Board and a member of the West Leeds Stakeholder Advisory Group (Minute No. 12 refers).

Councillor Leadley declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 7 entitled, ‘Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan – Transport Strategy Progress Report’, due to being a Board member of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (Minute No. 11 refers).

With regard to agenda item 8 entitled, ‘West Leeds Gateway Area Action Plan (AAP)’, Councillor Leadley indicated that he was a member of Plans Panel (West) and could potentially be considering matters relating to the West Leeds Gateway AAP at a later date in that capacity.

He stated that in view of this, and in order to avoid any perception of pre-determination should any such matters be submitted to Plans Panel, any contributions he made at today’s meeting were merely on a strategic basis. Councillor Leadley also stated that he would not be bound by any discussions or decisions taken at today’s meeting should any related matters come before Plans Panel (West), but would consider all representations presented at that planning meeting before reaching a conclusion based on the merits of the case (Minute No. 12 refers).

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Development Plan Panel meeting held on 9^th June 2009.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 9th June 2009 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the report of the Director of City Development providing an update on the progress made in relation to the transport workstream of the Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan.

Further to Minute No. 6, 9th June 2009, a report was submitted by the Director of City Development providing an update on the recent work undertaken on the transport strategy for Aire Valley Leeds (AVL) which was being prepared as part of the overall development of the Area Action Plan (AAP) for the area.

The Panel received a brief overview of the key measures proposed for inclusion within the transport strategy as detailed within the report. These included:-

• The infrastructure which would be required for the range of proposals included within the strategy;
• The methods which would be used to ensure the delivery and promotion of sustainable travel in AVL;
• The effective management and enforcement of travel in the area, with particular reference to car parking provision;
• The secondary effects of the measures proposed;
• The methods which would be used to test the viability of the proposed infrastructure and how such developments would be funded.

A map of the AVL area which illustrated the measures proposed for inclusion within the transport strategy was circulated at the meeting for Members’ information.

A question and answer session then ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

• Members made enquiries into the initial impact upon traffic patterns of the East Leeds link road (ELLR) since its opening in early 2009 and how such an impact would develop in the future. The Panel also sought assurances that the local authority advised the relevant bodies when new roads opened so that they featured upon satellite navigation systems as soon as possible;
• The Panel discussed the approximate timescales involved in introducing the key measures proposed by the transport strategy;
• Members raised concerns about the extent to which the strategy’s proposals would provide communities surrounding AVL with effective public transport provision, and highlighted that the improvements made as part of the strategy needed to enable those residing outside of the AVL area to commute to work within it;
• The Panel made enquiries into the prospect of introducing rail or light rail provision, whether existing train lines within the area could be utilised and emphasised the need for the strategy to incorporate a range of public transportation methods and not just the provision of bus services;
• With regard to the New Generation Transport (NGT) initiative, Members made enquiries into the likely operating arrangements for the initiative, the potential sources of funding for it and the level of work which still needed to be undertaken in order to develop it;
• The Panel enquired about the extent to which local Ward Members had been consulted upon the proposed transport strategy for AVL.

RESOLVED –  That the progress which has been made regarding the preparation of the transport strategy in support of the Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan be noted, along with the proposed next steps in the strategy’s development.

(Councillor Gruen joined the meeting at 1.45 p.m., during the consideration of this item)

To consider the report of the Director of City Development advising of the changes to the West Leeds Gateway Area Action Plan following consultation at the ‘Preferred Options’ stage and seeking support for a recommendation to be made to the Executive Board that the Plan be published and that formal representations be invited during October and November 2009, prior to it being formally submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

The Director of City Development submitted a report providing an update on the work undertaken to date on the West Leeds Gateway Area Action Plan (AAP), outlining the proposed timescales which would eventually lead to the proposed adoption of the plan and detailing the key changes to the AAP following the consultation exercise undertaken as part of the ‘Preferred Options’ stage.

The Panel received a brief overview of the main points detailed within the report, which included the key revisions to the AAP following the public consultation exercise held during the ‘Preferred Options’ stage. The key amendments related to the following aspects of the AAP:-

• Simplifying the overall structure of the AAP by reducing the number of cross-cutting themes within it from 7 to 5;
• Significantly reducing the number of properties proposed for demolition in New Wortley;
• Protecting a section of land at Phil May Court, New Wortley, for greenspace rather than developing it for housing provision;
• Increasing the potential for Armley Mills museum to accommodate ancillary and supporting uses in order to strengthen the museum as a visitor attraction;
• Improvement of accessibility levels across the area for those who are less physically able;
• The acknowledgement that any future development of Armley Gyratory would need to ensure that the highway layout was more accessible, safe and attractive to all users including pedestrians and cyclists;
• Emphasising the need to improve the appearance of the retail units located on Armley Town Street;
• Highlighting the criteria used to select those greenspace sites which had been prioritised for investment.

A question and answer session then ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

• Members noted that the intended lifespan of the AAP was approximately 15-20 years;
• The Panel highlighted the obstructive nature of Armley Gyratory for all those residing in its vicinity, specifically pedestrians and cyclists, and discussed the ways in which the gyratory could be improved to ensure that local residents had easier access to employment opportunities in the surrounding areas;
• Members discussed several of the responses received during the period of informal consultation held during May – June 2009, and highlighted the nature of the Council’s comments towards the responses received from the Coal Authority;
• The Panel emphasised the need to ensure the conclusion and promotion of a definitive map which illustrated all linkages, routes and pathways throughout the area which could be accessed by pedestrians;
• Members discussed the various sources of funding which were being considered for the development of the AAP;
• The Panel enquired about the likelihood of the AAP extending its boundaries in the future in order to incorporate surrounding communities such as Bramley;
• Members voiced their support for the AAP and thanked all those officers involved for the work which had been undertaken and the progress which had been made. 

Following the receipt of legal advice, the Panel was advised that recommendation (ii), as detailed within the submitted report, was not required and therefore not to be taken into consideration.

RESOLVED –

(a).  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

1.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 11^th August 2009 in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

Tuesday, 11th August 2009 at 1.30 p.m. in the Civic Hall, Leeds.