Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for the addition of a new southern entrance with access walkway and new footbridges to railway station

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs, drawings, graphics and sample materials were displayed at the meeting.  A Members site visit had taken place earlier in the day.  It was noted that Members had received a pre-application presentation on the proposals on 13^th August 2009 and the Chief Planning Officer’s report sought to address issues raised by Members on that occasion

  Officers presented the report which sought approval for a new southern entrance at Leeds Railway Station.  The proposals would require widening the existing station western footbridge and providing escalators, stairs and lifts to a partial deck over the River Aire which would then provide pedestrian access to either side of the river to the south east via Little Neville Street or south west via Granary Wharf and the Holbeck Urban Village area.  This would be enclosed in a distinctive ‘hood’ rising from the southern elevation of the arches, rising back to a peak where it meets the junction with the existing roof-form and the end of the western bridge

  The material for the ‘hood’ would be copper alloy shingle in a golden colour, samples of which were provided for Members’ consideration

  Members’ previous comments regarding the siting of a new entrance on Sovereign Street had been considered but the Panel was informed that this site would not provide the reduced journey times that the provision of funding was reliant upon.  In addition the cost of siting the entrance at this location would be significantly higher and there would be health and safety reasons due to the narrow width of platform 16 which could not accommodate all southern access bound passengers alongside travellers for the Transpennine westbound service

  Details of the comments which had been received on the application were provided and Members were informed that the Environment Agency had lifted their objection, having accepted the flood risk assessment

  Officers commended the scheme to Members and stressed the increased connectivity this would provide and the wider regeneration benefits it would bring to the south of the city

  The Panel heard representations on behalf of the applicant and the adjacent hotel, City Inn, who whilst supporting the proposals had raised concerns at the impact of significantly higher footfall on the public realm within their development and the need for this to be properly addressed

  In response to a point raised by Panel, Members were informed that although the graphics showed public access to the front of the structure, this was incorrect and that this access would be for maintenance only

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  the height of the structure and whether this could be reduced

·  whether by amending the top of the ‘hood’ this could lessen its impact on nearby residents and enhance its appearance

·  concerns that by altering the design of the ‘hood’ this could be detrimental to its effect

·  the lack of cycle facilities at the new entrance; that the development could encourage cycle use and the possibility of using one of the Dark Arches as a cycle park

·  that this was a secondary entrance and that cyclists were more likely to use the new cycling hub by the Rotunda at the front of the station, once it was available

·  pedestrian access through the Dark Arches and health and safety concerns at the number of cars also using this area

·  access arrangements for people in wheelchairs

·  concern at the impression given to visitors to Leeds by having to use the Dark Arches as an access point

·  whether any drop-off points would be provided

·  that the proposals were sited in the wrong place; that the development did not address the existing problems with taxis, buses and private hire vehicles dropping off at the station

·  that other major cities had impressive entrances to their main railway stations but this was lacking in Leeds

·  that the development would have a significant detrimental impact on the amenity of some residents of the Blue and Watermans Place developments, who perhaps had not realised the full impact of the proposals

·  that an entrance on Sovereign Street was the best location and concerns that the arguments against this which had been put forward on behalf of Network Rail were incorrect

·  that the proposals were not for the benefit of people in the wider South Leeds area but for residents of Holbeck Urban Village

·  that the cost of the scheme - £15m – would be better spent on re-opening the station at Marsh Lane

Officers provided the following responses: 

·  that the height of the ‘hood’ incorporated the amount of space needed for the escalators

·  that altering the top of the structure would have minimal effect on improving the situation for those residents most affected by the development and would significantly affect the integrity of the design

·  regarding parking facilities for people not wishing to take their cycle on their onward journey, there would be the cycle hub at the front of the station being provided by Network Rail; also there was limited space available in the southern entrance to accommodate a number of cycles

·  that there would be shared pedestrian/vehicular use of Dark Neville Street and that more pedestrians using this access would lead to greater safety due to cars having to adjust their speed accordingly

·  in relation to taxi drop off points, that Little and Dark Neville Streets had been considered.  There was currently heavy use of this area for service vehicles, and whilst those operations had to continue, Officers felt it was inappropriate to be formally encouraging drop offs

The Chair stated that having considered the proposals and the alternative location of Sovereign Street which had been suggested by some Members, he was of the view that the proposed new entrance was in the correct place, particularly as all the platforms could be accessed from this entrance.  Although a scheme which would result in improvements to the overall design of Leeds station and resolve the current issues relating to drop off/pick up points was desired, this was not the scheme before Panel

Members considered how to proceed

In response to the points raised by City Inn, the Head of Planning Services suggested that further details be requested from the applicant on this matter once the land deal had been completed

RESOLVED -  

(i)  To approve the application in principle and to defer and delegate final approval to the Chief Planning Officer subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report and in order to resolve the following detailed matters:

·  detailed highways matters including pedestrian improvements

·  resolution of management plan by negotiation with British Waterways

·  formal removal of holding objection by Environment Agency on updated flood risk assessment

(ii)  That prior to the planning permission being signed off,

that the Chief Planning Officer be asked to submit a further report to Panel setting out how cycling facilities could be improved, including the possible use of one of the Dark Arches to provide additional parking  and the impact of the increased footfall through the development on the public realm at Granary Wharf