Agenda and minutes

Councillors Akhtar, Stephenson, McKenna, Flint and Anderson attended the site visit earlier in the day.

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)

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

There were no exempt items.

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

No declarations of interests were made at the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jenkins and Councillor Sharpe.

Councillor Burke attended the meeting as substitute for Councillor Jenkins and Councillor McKenna attended as substitute for Councillor Sharpe.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th July 2022, for approval as a correct record.

The Chair informed the Panel that Mr Bickley, a speaker from the meeting held on 28^th July 2022, had made comments and requested minor changes to the minutes.  The Panel, considering the comments made by Mr Bickley, however, decided to approve the minutes without further changes.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th July 2022, be approved as a correct record.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer requests Members consideration of an application for construction of a new community sports hub including 4No. floodlit artificial grass pitches enclosed by metal ball-stop fencing, car parking and associated landscaping works are also proposed to connect the development to the wider Green Park, including a lit footpath link from the Redrow housing development to Austhorpe Primary School; external sub-station and bin store, on land off Thorpe Park Approach, Leeds, LS15

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented an application for the construction of a new community sports hub including 4 floodlit artificial grass pitches enclosed by metal ball-stop fencing and car parking, alongside associated landscaping works also proposed to connect the development to the wider Green Park, including a lit footpath link from the Redrow housing development to Austhorpe Primary School; external sub-station and bin store, on land off Thorpe Park Approach, Leeds LS15.

Members had attended a site visit earlier in the day. Photographs and slides were shown throughout the presentation.

The Panel were provided with the following information:

·  There had been a previous application for the wider Green Park site which proposed grass pitches and no floodlighting. Whereas this application proposed the use of artificial grass and floodlit pitches. Each of the three adult pitches would have 8 x 15m high lighting columns, the junior pitch would have 6 x 12m high columns. It was noted that lighting to the car park and paths would not have lighting columns higher than 6m.  The operational hours including the community sports hub were proposed as 8:00 until 23:00 hours. The pitches’ lighting would be controlled manually on a pitch by pitch basis from the reception desk and would be switched off by 22:00 hours. The lighting for the car park would be controlled via a timer clock. It was acknowledged that outside operational hours there would be lighting for security and safety.

·  The applicant had advised that the artificial turf to be used was the best currently available. It was acknowledged that the floodlighting would be focussed on the pitches, with minimal light spillage, the presence of the lit floodlights would be visible from outside the site compared to existing light levels, as the space is currently open land and as the land falls away to the north of the site. However, lighting methods are to be used which would minimise the adverse impact of this.

·  It was also noted that some of the trees would need to be removed in order to construct the vehicular access and lay out the pitches. While it was recognised that any new trees would take time to grow, new trees are proposed as part of the landscaping.

·  The site includes an ancient monument known as Grim’s Ditch and the Grade II* listed Austhorpe Hall. Impact on both these sites were addressed within the submitted report.

·  Car parking would be provided with 227 spaces including disabled parking, motorcycle parking, cycle spaces and electric charging points.

·  The sub-station and bin store would be built of buff brick and have a green roof planted with sedum.

·  The community hub would be the focal point of the site, located close to the car park, it would have seating and viewing areas for the pitches, a café selling hot and cold drinks and sandwiches. The community hub would be open to the public not only those playing football. It was noted that this area would not be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

To note the next meeting of the North and East Plans Panel will be on Thursday 22^nd September 2022, at 1.30pm.

To note the next meeting of the North and East Plans Panels will be on Thursday 22^nd September 2022, at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall.

The meeting concluded at 15:55