Agenda and draft minutes

The site visit was attended by:

Cllrs Akhtar, Jenkins, Jones and Renshaw.

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 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 Cllr McKenna and Cllr Stephenson. Cllr Renshaw was present at the meeting as substitute for Cllr McKenna.

The Legal Adviser to the Panel read out the following statement:

Before we start today’s meeting, as members know, as a result of local and regional elections being called for the 2 May, currently we are in the pre-election period of heightened sensitivity period.

The Chair has asked me to advise members that the purpose of the pre-election period is not to prevent the Council carrying out its normal business, but it is to prevent the business conducted by the Council being used or having the potential to be perceived as being used, to secure any electoral advantage.

As such, please treat this as normal Plans Panel meeting but be mindful of debate that amounts to or could reasonably be perceived to amount to electioneering.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th March 2024, for approval as a correct record.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 28^th March 2024, be approved as a correct record.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presents an application for the demolition of existing industrial buildings, repair and retention of existing boundary wall, and redevelopment of site with five multi-storey apartment blocks providing 371 dwellings (comprising 132 x 1 - beds, 198 x 2 beds and 41 x 3 beds) with associated ancillary community facilities; children's play area, public and private open spaces; basement under - croft and surface level car parking: landscaping; upgrading of vehicular and pedestrian accesses off Buslingthorpe Lane; internal roads and footpaths; wind mitigation measures and other infrastructure at Hilltop Works, Buslingthorpe Lane, Meanwood, Leeds, LS7 2DB

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented an application for the demolition of existing industrial buildings, repair and retention of existing boundary wall, and redevelopment of site with five multi-storey apartment blocks providing 371 dwellings  with associated ancillary community facilities; children's play area, public and private open spaces; basement under - croft and surface level car parking: landscaping; upgrading of vehicular and pedestrian accesses off Buslingthorpe Lane; internal roads and footpaths; wind mitigation measures and other infrastructure at Hilltop Works, Buslingthorpe Lane, Meanwood, Leeds, LS7 2DB

Earlier in the day Members of the Plans Panel had visited the site, photographs and slides were shown throughout the presentation.

The Planning Officer provided the following information, including an update to what was in the report:

• The description in the report was amended to:
  • 140 x1 bed
  • 176 x 2 beds
  • 53 x 3 beds

The affordable housing mix:

• • 6 x 1 bed at 21%
  • 19 x 2 beds at 73%
  • 4 x 3 beds at 14%
• The contributions had changed with a contribution of £851,500 towards capacity mitigation on the A61 corridor with a proportion of this used for improvements of the adjacent junction of Buslingthorpe Lane and Scott Hall Road. It was noted that this improvement was required as a result of the proposed development.
• There were to be two additional conditions imposed:
  • To revise the methodology report submitted to meet policy EN1 and EN2.
  • A verification report relating to compliance with policies EN1 and EN2 as contained in the Core Strategy.
• The proposal now was for 371 apartment dwellings spread across five buildings of varying heights. It was noted that significant negotiations had taken place between the applicant and officers to reduce the roof levels on certain buildings.
• It was advised that significant excavations would be required for the under-croft car park. This would provide two levels of parking.
• All buildings would have a centralised corridor with apartments to both the left and right. The design of the buildings would reflect the heritage of the site with the design of the front boundary wall referencing  the cottages that are to be demolished. It was noted that sections of the stone wall and the chimney were to be rebuilt. The chimney would be reconstructed to be taller than it is currently, so would be more visible.
• On the largest of the buildings the fenestrations and balconies were to be recessed back into the building to reflect the historic nature of the site.
• The lower part of the site would have buildings in a more modern style in white/ off white material to contrast with the higher levels of the site and compliment the conservation area and the evolution of the site.
• At the previous meeting when this application was brought as a position statement in 2022, the Members had raised concerns in relation to the gap between the two larger buildings as they were of the view that it resulted in flats overlooking each other causing a lack of privacy.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 95.

To note that the next meeting will be on Thursday 30^th May 2024, at 1.30pm.

RESOLVED – To note the next meeting of the North and East Plans Panel will be on Thursday 30^th May 2024, at 1.30pm.

Meeting concluded at 2:50pm