Agenda item

To receive a report by the Chief Planning Officer setting out details of an Outline Application for layout residential development comprising of 86 flats and car parking at Knowsthorpe Crescent, Cross Green, Leeds 9

(Report attached)

(Having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this matter, Councillor Grahame withdrew from the meeting)

  Plans were displayed at the meeting

Further to minute 237 of the Plans Panel East meeting held on 13^th May 2010 where Panel resolved to defer determination of the application to enable further negotiations on the provision of affordable housing and reconsideration of the proposed car parking, the Panel considered a further report

  Officers presented the report and informed the Panel that despite a financial viability assessment indicating the provision of affordable housing was not viable, the applicant had now offered some affordable housing, this being four units, but that the greenspace contribution would be reduced

  Panel Members were informed of comments received from Councillors Brett and Pryke who maintained their support for the application and stated there was no shortage of affordable housing in the area

  Officers reported receipt of 20 letters of representation supporting the proposals; nine of these having previously supported the scheme

  Members were informed that there were three options open to them, these being to approve the previous recommendation which provided no affordable housing; approve the proposal before Panel which provided four affordable units but a lower greenspace contribution or refuse the application on the lack of affordable housing provision.  Officers stated that if Panel were minded to refuse the application it was unlikely that the site would come forward for development

  In respect of on-street car parking, the police had been consulted and it was accepted that cars could be more vulnerable when parked on the street.  Highways Officers had considered the car parking layout and were of the view that the best which could be achieved was by providing echelon parking as opposed to chevron parking

  Members discussed the following matters:

·  that affordable housing was needed in this area

·  that it would be possible for speculators to buy affordable units cheaply for rental purposes so denying people for whom such housing was intended, being able to purchase a property

·  concerns at the security for car parking and that people living in inner city areas should be afforded the same level of protection and safety as everyone else

·  that property values had decreased and that there was spare capacity in the area

·  that the area needed environmental improvements

·  the difficulty of the decision before Members

The Panel considered how to proceed

RESOLVED -  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 following completion of a Section 106 Agreement to cover the following matters:

-  Greenspace commuted sum - £50,000

-  Affordable Housing provision of four units

-  Public Transport Infrastructure enhancement contribution - £28,306

-  Traffic Regulation Order (Knowsthorpe Crescent/Cross Green Lane)

-  Travel Plan (including monitoring fee - £2500)

In the circumstances where the Section 106 Agreement has not been completed within 3 months of the resolution to grant planning permission, the final determination of the application shall be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer

  (Councillor Grahame resumed his seat in the meeting)