Agenda and minutes

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

Application No. 12/02571/OT – Outline application for residential development for 2000 dwellings on land between Wetherby Road, Skeltons Lane and York Road Leeds 14 and Application 19/04905/FU for office development to land at Wellington Street/ Grove Street, Cropper Gate, Skinner Street and Lisbon Street, Leeds 1 and was attended by the following Councillors: C Campbell, A Garthwaite, G Latty, J Mckenna, E Nash, K Ritchie, P Wadsworth, N Washaw and P Wray

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.

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:-

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.

Although there were no late items the Chair did accept the inclusion of Supplementary Information from Local Ward Members and local residents in respect of Agenda Item No. 10 – Application No.18/07433/FU – Erection of 437 dwellings and associated works at Radial Park, Manston Lane, Leeds 15 and from Ward Members in respect of Item No. 11 – Application No.12/02571/OT – Outline Application for residential development (up to 2000 dwellings) on land between Wetherby Road, Skeltons Lane and York Road, Leeds 14 (Minutes Nos 98 & 99 referred)

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. 

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

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: D Blackburn, C Gruen and P Gruen

Councillors: K Ritchie and P Wray were in attendance as substitute Members.

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 21^st November 2019.

(Copy attached)

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 21^st November 2019 were submitted for comment/ approval.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 21^st November 2019 be accepted as a true and correct record.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes.

Former Marsh Lane Railway Station (Minute No. 82 referred) – With reference to the previous meeting when it was reported that the Chief Planning Officer together with the Chair had sent a joint letter to Network Rail seeking to ascertain what stage had been reached in any ongoing discussions regarding the re-opening of the rail halt at the former Marsh Lane Railway Station.

Members queried if a response had been received.

In responding the Chief Planning Officer said that to date no response had been received but the matter would be followed up.

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an outline planning application for a residential development with all matters reserved save for the two principle accesses off Westerton Road and Haigh Moor Road, (but not to include access within the site), three points of access at Upper Green Avenue, Sandringham Drive and Hill Top Lane, associated works, public open space provision and accessibility and qualitative improvements to local greenspace to land off Haigh Moor Road, and Westerton Road, West Ardsley, Leeds, WF 3

(Report attached)

The Chair reported that representations had been received from local residents/ Community Groups and local Ward Members raising certain matters regarding the application.  It was therefore requested that consideration of this item be deferred to allow officers more time for the representations received and the matters raised therein to be considered following the recent Christmas holiday period.

RESOLVED – That consideration of this application be deferred and, as such, the application to be brought back to the next meeting scheduled for 30^th January 2020.

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an application which seeks the proposed demolition of existing office buildings and redevelopment to provide offices (B1) with a flexible range of supporting uses (A1-A4, D1 and D2), with new access to double basement with cycle and car parking, high level terraces and improvements to the public realm at land bounded by Wellington Street / Grove Street, Cropper Gate, Skinner Street and Lisbon Street, Leeds LS1 4LT

(Report attached)

With reference to the meeting held on 6^th December 2018 when Members received a pre-application presentation in respect of this site, the Chief Planning Officer now submitted a report which set out details of an application which sought the proposed demolition of existing office buildings and redevelopment to provide offices (B1) with flexible range of supporting uses (A1 – A4, D1 and D2), with new access to double basement with cycle and car parking, high level terraces and improvements to the public realm at land bounded by Wellington Street/ Grove Street, Cropper Gate, Skinner Street and Lisbon Street, Leeds 1.

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 proposal is to demolish the existing buildings on site and replace with a single building up to 17 storey’s in height

·  The basement would contain car parking for 120 vehicles, including 12 disabled bays and 12 electric charging spaces and a cycle hub incorporating cycle storage, changing areas, lockers and drying space

·  Four commercial units would be located at ground floor level together with main office reception located on the south-eastern corner of the building, with a secondary access from Skinner Street

·  Large external terraces located on the upper levels with ornamental planting

·  The building elevations would be predominantly glazed curtain walling overlaid with a bronzed metal frame breaking the elevation into smaller modules

·  Granite planters located either end of new bench seating to Grove Street with landscaping proposals identifying up to 15 new trees

·  Footways around the north, east, west and southern edges would be widened to 3.1m, 3.1m and 4.5m respectively

·  The open bus stop to the front would be replaced with an enclosed one

Members raised the following questions to officers/ applicant’s representatives

·  Was all the land within the “red line” under the control of the developer

·  Members expressed concern that there were no comments from the Access Officer contained within the submitted report

·  The public realm should be considered as “shared spaces” and as such could paths within that space be marked for the visually impaired

·  Had the species of trees to be planted been identified yet, particularly with consideration being given to ensure these would be resistant to traffic pollution as far as possible

·  The proposed new building was predominantly a glazed structure, would it be difficult to cool

·  Where was the pick-up and drop-off area located

·  Level access to the building was achieved via Skinner Street, this appeared to be a long distance to travel for a disabled person, particularly from any proposed pick-up and drop-off location

·  Would “light pollution” from the building be an issue

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

·  Officers confirmed that all land within the green line was in control of the developer and land between the green line and red line  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97.

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets of details of an application which seeks the erection of 437 dwellings with new roads, open space, landscaping, drainage and associated works at Radial Park, Manston Lane, Leeds, LS15 8ST

(Report attached)

With reference to the meeting held on 10^th October 2019 when Members received a detailed position statement in respect of the application, the Chief Planning Officer now submitted a report seeking agreement of the proposals in principle.

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 proposal to construct 437 dwellings (29 different house types)

·  Creation of new roads, 3 new access routes, open space provision, drainage and associated works

·  Building heights predominantly 2 and 3 storeys

·  Amended window features

·  Materials plan

·  Sustainability condition to include some photovoltaic cells

The Planning Officer reported the receipt of additional representations from Ward Members who had: expressed a need to avoid a blandness to  the design of the houses, good design of the street scenes was required, it was important that an off-site payment for replacement sports facilities within the Ward was pursued, the future of the Barnbow Sports and Social club was a key consideration and must be included within the Section 106 Agreement, the heritage aspects as described in the report were welcomed, and the unresolved highways issues must, in the first instance, be agreed with Ward Councillors before any recommendation to defer and delegate to officers would be acceptable.

Further representations had also been received from two local residents who had identified the following issues: the minimum separation distance standards must be applied, there were anti-social behaviour issues from nearby Housing Association properties and a resultant need for affordable housing to be ‘pepper-potted’ throughout the site, there was a lack of permanent retail provision included within the Masterplan, there was no clear benefit to the provision of a link road to Maggie Barker Avenue,  there were no direct links across the railway line to the proposed Green Park, and the construction methods and materials proposed for use were not sufficiently advanced in terms of ensuring carbon reduction and contributing towards climate change mitigation.

Members raised the following questions to officers/ applicant’s representatives:

·  The provision of photovoltaic cells was included on some houses but not all, could a condition be added requiring the infrastructure for photovoltaic cells to be included on all properties

·  Could more sustainable building materials and an overall sustainable building approach, in terms of construction methods, be considered

·  The proposed house types appeared to be very bland and uninteresting, could further thought be given to a more modern/ interesting house types design similar to those at the Thorpe Park development

·  It was disappointing that there was no accessible housing provision on site  and the application as a whole was not in accordance with recently adopted Core Strategy Policy H10

·  The provision of only 2 bungalows was unacceptable on a site of this size

·  Was there any heritage proposals for remembering the former activities on the site during its use as a munitions factory

·   What was the proposed timescale for completion of the development  ...  view the full minutes text for item 98.

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an outline application for means of access and erection of residential development (circa 2000 dwellings), retail, health centre, community centre and primary school development, with associated drainage and landscaping on land between Wetherby Road, Skeltons Lane and York Road, Leeds, S14.

(Report attached)

With reference to the meeting held on 9^th June 2016, when Members received a progress report which explained the implications of the adoption of the Council’s CIL Charging Schedule for the Section 106 Agreement, noting that the applicant had been able to accept 15% affordable housing as deliverable.

The Chief Planning Officer now submitted a further report which sought to provide an update on the progress of the Section 106 Agreement and the planning consent ‘positioning’ within the changed policy context, i.e. the Core Strategy (as amended in 2019), the Site Allocations Plan (2019) and the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2019). Additionally, a contextual update on progress of the East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR) was also provided.

The Planning Case Officer reported the receipt of additional representations from Ward Members (Crossgates and Whinmoor) who had commented that they were unimpressed with the lack of commitment by the consortium in finalising the Section 106 Agreement. They also expressed concern that the consortium had made no effort to contact Ward Members of either; Cross Gates and Whinmoor or Harewood, as this development affects both communities.

It was the wish of Ward Members that Panel endorse the principle of maximum public consultations by the developers, including Ward Members and local communities, before any application was considered by panel, suggesting it was unthinkable that Persimmon and partners believe anything other than that would be acceptable.

In terms of ELOR, Ward Members were of the view that the project appeared to be making significant progress and they continued to be very supportive of the project.

There were no questions raised by Members.

In offering comments Members raised the following matters:

·  Members welcomed the analysis of the scheme against the updated policies in the Core Strategy, SAP, Neighbourhood Plans and the latest version to the NPPF.  Officers’ clear and unequivocal commitment to applying up-to-date policy in the context of this development proposal was commended.

·  One Member said Phase I of the ELOR project could have performed slightly better, suggesting it had overrun by 6 weeks and provided little clear benefit to date.

The Chair thanked officers for the update and welcomed the comments made by Members.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the contents of the report be noted

(ii)  That Officers continue to finalise the drafting of the Section 106 Agreement and conditions in order to issue the outline planning consent in due course

To note that the next meeting will take place on Thursday, 30^th January 2020 at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

RESOLVED – To note that the next meeting will take place on Thursday, 30^th January 2020 at 1.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds.