Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds

Contact: John Grieve , 0113 3788662  Email: john.grieve@leeds.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

A Members site visit was held in connection with the following applications:

Application No. 18/01276/FU – Proposed residential development at junction of Regent Street and Skinner Lane, Leeds and PREAPP/19/00161 – Proposed hotel at land near Eastgate roundabout, Leeds and was attended by the following Councillors: C Campbell, G Latty, E Nash, P Wadsworth, J McKenna, P Gruen, C Gruen and A Garthwaite

 

 

 

 

 

34.

Appeals Against Refusal of Inspection of Documents

 

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

 

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

 

Minutes:

There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents.

 

35.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of Press and Public

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

 

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

 

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:-

 

 

 

Minutes:

There were no items identified where it was considered necessary to exclude the press or public from the meeting due to the confidential nature of the business to be considered.

 

36.

Late Items

 

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

 

Minutes:

Although there were no late items of business, the Chair did accept the inclusion of supplementary information in respect of Agenda Item No.8 – Racecourse Approach, Application No.17/02594/OT - (Two photographs of the proposed location of vehicular access to the site, supplied by a local Ward Member who was objecting to the application) – Minute No. 41 referred.

 

37.

Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

 

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct. 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests made at the meeting.

 

38.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor D Blackburn

 

 

39.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 240 KB

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 18th July 2019.

 

 

(Copy attached)

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 18th July 2019 were submitted for comment/ approval.

 

Referring to Minute No. 30 Councillor Nash required a number of amendments to the following sentence so to read as follows: 

 

the species of tree to be used would include: a variety of Birch trees, Hawthorn, Rowan, Horse Chestnut and Lime trees, there was also a suggestion that a number of Giant Sequoia trees may be planted”

 

RESOLVED – That, with the inclusion of the above the minutes of the previous meeting held on 18th July 2019 be agreed as a true and correct record.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40.

Matters Arising from the Minutes

To consider any matters arising from the minutes.

Minutes:

With reference to Minute No. 30 (Pre application proposal for the City Centre Park) - Councillor P Gruen welcomed the setting up of a Members training session covering landscape and tree planting practice, but the one suggested date for the training session was insufficient and it was requested that alternative dates be provided.

 

Officers confirmed that further dates would be explored.

 

 

 

 

41.

Application No. 17/02594/OT - Outline planning application with all matters reserved except for access, for the creation of a new community comprising up to 800 dwellings, a food store (A1) (up to 372 sq.m), primary school and public open spaces at Land off Racecourse Approach, Wetherby, Leeds 22. pdf icon PDF 6 MB

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an outline planning application with all matters reserved except for access, for the creation of a new community comprising up to 800 dwellings, a food store (A1) (up to 372 sq.m), primary school and public open spaces at Land off Racecourse Approach, Wetherby, Leeds 22.

 

 

(Report attached)

Minutes:

With reference to the meeting of 28th March 2019 and the decision to defer determination of the application to await further information on: the principle of the development within the Site Allocation Plan (SAP), the masterplan of the SAP site as a whole, sustainability, Education provision, access to the site, more details about the proposed retail and housing provision and further engagement with the public and Ward Members.

 

The Chief Planning Officer now submitted a report which sought to address the matters previously raised by Members. It also included information provided by the applicant, together with additional representations which had been received.

 

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

 

Planning Officers addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

 

·  Site/ location/context

·  Site adjacent to Wetherby Racecourse and open green land

·  SAP now adopted (10th July 2019) and therefore able to be given full weight by Members

·  This is an outline application, approval is being sought for the principle of development and means of access only

·  Up to date Masterplan, some parcels of land within the wider SAP allocation are not within the application site

·  The proposal is for a new community comprising up to 800 dwellings, a convenience store, primary school and public open space.

·   Flood risk / ecology, a beck runs through the middle of the site

·  Connectivity within the site

·  Consultation with Ward Members

·  3 means of access

·  Enhanced access to South West corner of the site (SAP requirement)

·  Vehicular access via Carr Lane

·  Sustainability of site

·  Provision of a shuttle bus at 20 minute intervals

·  Developers to deliver a range of house types

·  Possible location of the primary school

 

The Chief Planning officer reported that since the previous meeting, further additional representations had been received:

 

Wetherby Ward Members remained of the view that a variety of issues had not been addressed: there had still been very limited consultation undertaken, school provision was a concern, the climate change agenda called into question the sustainability of the site, a comprehensive Masterplan had not been provided and the proposed vehicular access arrangements onto York Road were inadequate.

 

Wetherby Town Council said that the views of local residents had been ignored, vehicular access onto York Road was a concern, improvements proposed to Carr Lane could not be delivered and the proposed development was not in accordance with the Neighbourhood Plan.

 

Better Wetherby were of the view that the information provided by the applicant in respect of the proposed shuttle bus was optimistic, there was no public transport link, vehicular access onto York Road was a concern, impact on Wetherby Town Centre would be substantial, concerns around sustainability had not been met, there was pressure on school places within the area and consultation with Ward Members, Town Councillors and local residents was inadequate. 

 

Ward Members for Harewood and Collingham were of the view that the development would have an adverse impact on Harewood and Collingham, education  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

42.

Application No. 18/01276/FU - Residential development of 217 apartments and ancillary facilities with undercroft parking at the junction of Regent Street and Skinner Lane, Sheepscar, Leeds Leeds 2. pdf icon PDF 1 MB

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an application for residential development of 217 apartments and ancillary facilities with undercroft parking at the junction of Regent Street and Skinner Lane, Sheepscar, Leeds Leeds 2.

 

 

(Report attached)

Minutes:

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which set out details of an application for residential development of 217 apartments and ancillary facilities with undercroft parking at the junction of Regent Street and Skinner Lane, Sheepscar, Leeds 2.

 

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

 

Planning Officers addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

 

·  Site / location/ context

·  The site had remained vacant for a period of 10 years

·  The building would be part 9, part 11 storeys in height, including a set- back top two storeys, the height in keeping with other buildings within the area.

·  The proposal is for residential development comprising 217 dwellings; 159 x one bed flats, 50 x two bed flats and 8x three bed flats (Correction to the figures listed within the submitted report)

·  Undercroft parking

·  Cycle and bin storage area

·  Accommodation begins on first floor level

·  Glazed active frontage at ground floor level

·  Materials – Glazing and tiles at lower levels, aluminium copper detailing, brick and lighter glazed materials on the upper floors

·  7% affordable housing

·  Discussions regarding wind micro-climate were ongoing between the Council’s wind consultant and the applicant’s wind consultants. The applicant’s wind study states that the proposal would not lead to additional wind safety issues in the surrounding area.

 

Members raised the following questions:

 

·  How many studio flats were proposed and what was the size of these flats

·  Referring to the housing mix, it was suggested the number of three bedroom flats within the proposed development (8) was very low and not in accordance with Council Policy

·  Could consideration be given to the use of living / green walls

·  What species of trees were to be planted and were there any proposals to include tree in planters

 

In responding to the issues raised, Planning Officers / the applicant’s representatives said:

 

·  Members were informed that there were 73 studio flats proposed, each studio flat was 37sqm in size and therefore in compliance with national space standards.

·  Members were informed that the policy in respect of 3 bedroom flats was 20%, however, this is a policy which applies City-wide and can be applied with discretion across the City.  It is not always achievable to achieve the 20% requirement within the City Centre and it was the view of officers that this was an insufficient reason to recommend refusal of an application in this instance, taking into account the local circumstances and demographic.

·  The applicant’s representative said the use of living / green walls would be considered.  Further, additional planting has been incorporated on the roof of the development and the main frontage.

·  Members were informed that predominantly cherry and rowan trees would be planted with sufficient root space to gather water.

 

In offering comments Members raised the following issues:

 

·  Members were generally supportive of the application

·  The housing mix required addressing strategically, loneliness was becoming an important issue and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

43.

PREAPP/19/00161- Pre-application presentation for full planning permission for a 14 storey hotel (Use Class C1) with associated ancillary restaurant and small scale conferencing uses at land between the Eastgate Roundabout, Dyer Street and the A61 to the east of the Victoria Gate multi storey car park, Leeds 2. pdf icon PDF 622 KB

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of a pre-application presentation for full planning permission for a 14 storey hotel (Use Class C1) with associated ancillary restaurant and small scale conferencing uses at land between the Eastgate Roundabout, Dyer Street and the A61 to the east of the Victoria Gate multi storey car park, Leeds 2.

 

 

(Report attached)

Minutes:

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which set out details of a

pre-application proposal for full planning permission for a 14 storey hotel (Use Class C1) with associated ancillary restaurant and small scale conferencing uses at land between the Eastgate Roundabout, Dyer Street and the A61 to the east of Victoria Gate multi storey car park, Leeds 2.

 

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

 

The applicant’s representatives addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

 

·  Site / location/ context

·  Heritage setting, Grade II Listed former petrol filling station located on the near-by roundabout and with long views along St Peters Street of the Grade I Listed Leeds Minster

·  The proposal seeks to create a 205 bed hotel, 14 storey’s in height

·  Ancillary use at ground and first for levels: conference space and restaurant use

·  Proposed 40sqm digital advertising screen to be integrated into the façade of the building

·  Service provision, pick-up and drop-off arrangements

·  Car parking provision should be available in the local area

 

Members raised the following questions:

 

·  Could more details be provided about the service arrangements

·  Was there any connectivity to the Market area

·  Coaches and other vehicles accessing Dyer Street may cause some congestion problems

·  The height of the building in this location is too excessive and out of keeping with its surroundings, particularly alongside the neighbouring John Lewis building, MSCP and listed historic filling station

·  Is the inclusion of a digital advertising screen essential

·  There was no car parking provision for this development, was this a potential problem in terms of relying on parking provision off-site

·  Could more details about the public realm be provided

·  Do you not consider that the digital screen could be dangerous

 

In responding to the issues raised, the applicant’s representatives said:

 

·  Members were informed that there will be a dual-functioning loop road, such that refuse vehicles would have access further into the site, taxis would use the initial turning head, and vehicles would not be able to reverse onto the highway.

·  A safe route would be provided through the site which would allow connectivity to the market area and a safe, pedestrian route to be maintained.  Discussions with neighbouring properties about such issues was ongoing.

·  The height of the building is similar to that of others in the area and on the opposing Quarry Hill site. This is a quality design located at a key access point, so could become a landmark building

·  An advertising screen is required for commercial deliverability.  This will bring a new hotel ‘brand’ to the City and provide a hotel in an area of the City where there is little existing hotel provision.

·  The advertising screen is seen as being an integral part of the building design, hence it is incorporated flush with the building and will form almost an oversized window-like element in the façade.

·  Members were informed that the proposal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

44.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

To note that the next meeting will take place on Thursday, 19th September 2019 at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

Minutes:

To note that the next meeting will take place on Thursday, 19th September 2019 at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds.