Agenda and minutes

Councillor H Bithell submitted her apologies at the previous meeting and therefore a nomination was put forward for Councillor C Gruen to Chair the meeting in her absence. Panel Members unanimously agreed on this approach.

RESOLVED – That Councillor C Gruen be elected as Chair for the duration of the meeting.

Councillors C Gruen, C Campbell, J Garvani, E Bromley, N Manaka and A Rontree attended the site visits 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.

There was no exempt information contained within the submitted agenda.

There were no formal late items.

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

An interest in relation to Agenda Item 7 – Former Weetwood Police Station, 300 Otley Road, Weetwood, Leeds, LS16 6RG was raised on behalf of Councillor B Anderson as he has submitted representations as part of the planning application process and therefore resolved to remove himself from the meeting room as he could not determine the application with an open mind.

Apologies were received on behalf of Councillors H Bithell, L Buckley, C Campbell, T Smith, and R Finnigan.

Councillor A Lamb attended as a substitute on behalf of Councillor T Smith and Councillor B Anderson attended as a substitute on behalf of Councillor L Buckley.

To receive and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held Thursday, 6^th July 2023.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday, 6^th July 2023 be approved as an accurate record.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application fornew artificial grass pitch with floodlighting; new emergency access; storage container; relocation of existing long jumps; associated landscaping works. Guiseley School, Fieldhead Road, Guiseley.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented an application on new artificial grass pitch with floodlighting, new emergency access, storage container, relocation of existing long jumps and associated landscaping works at Guiseley School, Fieldhead Road, Guiseley.

Members of the Panel had attended a site visit earlier in the day.

Members were provided with an update since the writing of the submitted report. It was noted that a late objection has been received relating to the proposed use of the rubber crumb, and concerns regarding hazardous materials and air contamination and that it was the objectors belief that natural turf should be used. Officers confirmed that paragraph 74 touches on this issue, and materials used for the pitches are regulated under the REACH regulations and guidance should be followed in terms of its end of life, all of which falls outside the remit of planning controls and covered by separate legislation.

Photographs and slides were shown throughout the officer presentation, and Members were provided with the following information:

·  The playing fields are located to the north-west of the main school campus and the site amounts to 1.3 ha of land. To the north of the site is adjacent to Green Meadows Academy and to the east, the site adjoins the rear of the residential properties fronting Aldersyde Road. There is a designated footpath that separates the wider school site that runs along its south-eastern boundary with Fieldhead Drive. The site is located adjacent to Tranmere Park Estate Conservation Area, which runs alongside Bradford Road.

·  The application proposes the construction of an artificial grass pitch (AGP) with 6x15m high floodlighting columns around the site perimeter (in each corner and the half-way line), with a new emergency access and relocation of existing long jumps and associated works.

·  There will be an existing line of poplar trees retained as part of the proposals. The trees are categorised as category U trees – declining health. Replacement planting will be required and where there are existing gaps in the landscaping, succession plants will be provided for effective screening.

·  The pitch would be enclosed by a 4.5m high weld mesh fence with gated access. To the east of the pitch enclosure a 3.5m and to the south a 2.5m high acoustic fence is also proposed.

·  There is a need for additional landscaping for those properties where the rear gardens face onto the pitch.

·  A section of the hedging will need to be removed to accommodate for drainage purposes and it was confirmed that the drainage system will accommodate for severe climate events.

·  The existing access is proposed to be widened for emergency vehicles and will be used for construction vehicles and access.

·  There is a number of options in terms of the acoustic treatment if there is a particular preference members feel may be more suitable. i.e., timber fencing that can be painted or a quilt version.

·  The location of the lights present low light spillage to nearby properties and an overview of separation distance was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for the demolition of the existing buildings and construction of a new building for residential use (Use Class C3), provision of internal roads for vehicular and pedestrian access and servicing, car parking, landscaping, a substation, new pedestrian infrastructure and modifications to existing vehicular and pedestrian access at the Former Weetwood Police Station, 300 Otley Road, Weetwood, Leeds, LS16 6RG.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented a report regarding the demotion of existing buildings and construction of a new building for residential use (Use Class C3), provision of internal roads for vehicular and pedestrian access and servicing, car parking, landscaping, a substation, new pedestrian infrastructure and modifications to existing vehicular and pedestrian access at the Former Weetwood Police Station, 300 Otley Road, Weetwood, Leeds, LS16 6RG.

The report is brought to Plans Panel as a Position Statement to present details in relation to the emerging scheme and provide Panel Members with the opportunity to provide comments to aid progression of the application.

Councillor B Anderson removed himself from the meeting and the room prior to the application commencing, due to his interest in the item.

Members of the Panel had attended a site visit earlier in the day.

Members were provided with an update since the writing of the submitted report in that the applicant has shown admirable ambitions to exceed targets EN1 and EN2, further work is required to ensure that they are achievable. Additionally, comments have been received from Councillors B Anderson and C Anderson complimenting the development and level of consultation that has taken place with Adel Neighbourhood Forum and the public consultation that took place. Some issues were raised regarding viability and the preference of providing affordable units onsite and concern that some flats may have more than 1 car.

Photographs and slides were shown throughout the officer presentation, and Members were provided with the following information:

·  The application site is a 1.4 hectare brownfield site which originally encompassed Weetwood Police Station. The site is located to the north-east of Lawnswood Roundabout, to the east of Otley Road (A660), within the Main Urban Area of Leeds. The site is bounded by Bodington Hall Playing Fields (University of Leeds) to its north and east boundaries.

·  The proposed new building will provide a total of 127 Build to Rent residential units (1-3 bed, which falls within the C3 use class.

·  The proposed building incorporates an L-shaped format which ranges between 4 & 6 storey in height. The building has a flat roof design with roof terraces, green roofs, and Solar PV infrastructure. The building will be constructed of brick with bronze colour aluminium window openings and metal shade panels. Each property benefits from an external balcony or terrace.

·  The proposals include the provision of on-site green space and includes the provision of a publicly accessible landscaped podium desk to the front of the building.

·  Vehicular access to the site will be retained as per the existing situation. From Otley Road, the northern access will be retained as access only, with the southern access retained as egress only. From the Ring Road, the existing access will be retained and will continue to operate as two-way entry and exit. It is considered that the former police station has a high level of car association with it, and the level of trips associated with the proposed development will see a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

To note the date and time of the next meeting as Thursday, 28^th September 2023 at 1.30 p.m.

To note the date and time of the next meeting as Thursday, 28^th September 2023 at 1.30 pm.

The meeting concluded at 18:10.