Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the current position on an application for alterations, demolition and temporary change of use to a multi-purpose performance and events venue

(report attached)

  Plans and photographs were displayed at the meeting.  A site visit for Panel Members had taken place earlier in the day

  Officers presented the report which sought a three year temporary permission for use of this key Grade I Listed Building to provide a professionally managed venue for avant garde music, art and performance; a home for local arts communities together with education provision and work experience

  Temple Works, which was modelled on the Temple of Horus at Edfu was currently being repaired along its Marshall Street frontage following a partial collapse of its roof structure in December 2008.  These repair works were separate to the proposals being considered

  Members were informed that the mill space would be the main performance area and that equipment required for performances ie heating, lighting would be demountable and would not be fixed to the fabric of the building.  Some minor alterations would be needed to help provide suitable public access and emergency exits

  The principle of the proposed use was acceptable to Officers in terms of the regeneration of Holbeck Urban Village (HUV)

  Revenue from the project would come from ancillary uses, eg bars, filming, conferences etc and the nature of these would be tightly controlled by condition.  Whilst the numbers of attendees would be limited to 1500, conditions regarding noise/disturbance would be included and that for major events a 10pm finish time would be proposed to assist with crowd disbursement

  The proposals also included the demolition of the 1953 extension and although there was no proposal for the redevelopment of the site as was normally required by adopted policy, the area was required for emergency escape purposes from the proposed use of Temple Works.   The area would also be temporarily landscaped with the details to be controlled by planning condition

  A financial viability assessment on the proposals had been submitted and had been considered by the Local Authority.  The information submitted indicated there was insufficient profitability to fund a S106 public transport contribution and Officers were of the view that this could be waived due to the scheme bringing an exceptional Listed Building back into use

  Regarding highways issues, comments were awaited on this, however limited, ie 51 car parking spaces were being provided and the site was in a highly sustainable location being situated 10 minutes walk from the railway station and City Square

  An objection to the proposals had been received from Northern Gas Networks (NGN) as the site was close to a major hazard gas pipeline and due to the increased numbers on site, NGN was of the view this presented an increase in societal risk.  The Central Area Planning Manager informed Members that a similar objection had been raised by NGN on a site in Sweet Street.  Whist the objection should be noted, it was the comments of the HSE which were the deciding factor in this respect and as stated in the report before Members, the HSE did not advise against granting planning permission on safety grounds

  Members discussed the following matters:

·  that the proposals were imaginative and would provide a use for this important building

·  that such a venue in Leeds would be welcome and could be as successful as Temple Bar in Dublin

·  that the 10.00pm closing time might be too restrictive and that some flexibility should be provided up to 11.00pm, particularly as there was little residential accommodation in the area

·  the possibility of re-grassing the roof

·  concerns at the waiving of the public transport contribution but an acceptance of the need to do so in this particular case

·  the condition of the mill building; the fact that it was not weatherproof and the possibility of some internal restoration being included, particularly to the columns and the clock

·  the need for the temporary landscaping scheme to include trees along the Marshall Street frontage and where possible, on the site of the 1953 building

·  whether a three year temporary planning permission allowed the applicant sufficient time

Officers provided the following comments:

·  regarding hours of use it would be possible to control this by condition to allow some late night use if pre-agreed by the Local Planning Authority

·  that the applicant’s approach to the mill building was about making it structurally sound and bringing it back into use, rather than undertaking major repairs, including re-grassing the roof which would be costly.  Little money would be made from this scheme which was being undertaken to improve the marketability of the owners’ other sites in the area

·  that Members’ requests for tree planting would be considered on the cleared 1953 site but that it might be impractical to provide trees to the Marshall Street frontage due to potential conflict with the coach drop off area

·  that any planning permission could state that the three year period would commence from first occupation.  Members were happy to accept this

In view of the general support for the scheme, the Chair suggested that

the applications could be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer for approval

  RESOLVED -  That the applications be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer for approval, subject to referral of application 09/00882/LI to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for determination and subject to such conditions as considered appropriate by the Chief Planning Officer but to include those relating to the temporary 3 year period to commence on first occupation, provision of a landscaping scheme to the cleared 1953 site to include tree planting if possible and the operating hours to allow some late night use, up to 11.00pm by written agreement and subject to the resolution of traffic issues and comments on the viability case, and to bring the application back for final determination by Panel in the event that any of these issues cannot be agreed