Agenda item

To consider a report and receive an updated pre-application presentation on alterations and amendments to the approved Eastgate and Harewood Quarter development scheme

This is a pre-application presentation and no formal decision on the development will be taken, however it is an opportunity for Panel Members to ask questions, raise issues, seek clarification and comment on the proposals at this stage. A ward member or a nominated community representative has a maximum of 15 minutes to present their comments

(report attached)

Further to minute 6 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 27^th September 2012, where Panel resolved to grant outline planning permission for amendments to the mix of uses for the Eastgate and Harewood Quarter development, Members considered a pre-application presentation for alterations and amendments to the approved scheme

Plans, photographs, graphics and precedent images were displayed at the meeting

Officers introduced the report and Members then received a presentation on the proposals on behalf of the developer

Members were informed that agreement had been reached with John Lewis for their anchor store and that work had been continuing with the Council to vary the proposals in order to bring the scheme forward in a phased way.  Along with Millgarth Police Station which had been acquired by the Council, the Victoria Quarter had recently been acquired by the developer.  Consideration was now being given to creating links from the Victoria Quarter to the Eastgate and Harewood Quarter development to form one scheme and this would necessitate some changes

Consideration was being given to whether a 21^st century covered space could be created, with the intention being to take as inspiration and reference, the quality of the Leeds’ historic arcades

In terms of car parking, John Lewis was keen to have a car park on the site and having considered the scheme in detail in order to deliver the car park in the first phase of development, the proposal was to demolish the Millgarth Police Station and move the NGT route onto the Ladybeck culvert, thereby leaving an adequate footprint on one side for the car park and a decent footprint for the retail development

The Leeds John Lewis would be designed with specific reference to the city, for example its cloth industry to ensure that it was of its time and place; was memorable and recognisable and that it stood for the city and the company.  The design of the building also had to work for the store to ensure there was sufficient daylight and there was flexibility to changing retail trends

The time line for the scheme was given, with Members being informed that public consultation would commence in February 2013, with the application for Phase 1 being submitted in April and determined possibly in August 2013, with a start on site in 2014 and completion in autumn 2016

Members commented on the following matters:

  General design issues

·  that the detail of the John Lewis store had changed since the original planning permission had been granted; whether because of this there would now be the need for a bridge over Eastgate and how this change would affect the power generation plant off Bridge Street which had been approved

·  the arcaded part of the scheme to the north of Eastgate and whether this remained part of the proposals

·  that the original scheme was to create a new quarter whilst retaining much of what was there to enable a flow through from the Trinity scheme, however this did not now seem to be the case

·  the need for details on achieving a safe transition to the development from the Victoria Quarter

·  the design of the John Lewis building and whether it would look at odds with the Blomfield architecture which dominated this part of the city

·  the need for the treatment of the John Lewis store to be consistent all the way round and not, as in the case of the Leicester store  to have bland and functional rear elevations

Car park and highways

·  that the demolition of Millgarth Police Station was welcomed but that there was a need to consider a similar treatment for the car park as would be on the John Lewis façade; that this was a very important issue and that despite its use, the car park should not look like one.  As the site was a key gateway into the city it was important that the scheme was met by something which befitted the city and that in view of the likely cost of the John Lewis building, a poor quality car park would not be accepted

·  the need to ensure there was no queuing traffic from the car park and that the exit was situated opposite the coach station on Dyer Street with concerns about whether there was sufficient capacity on that street

·  that expectations for this development were high and that for many people, car parks were dark and unattractive but that for this scheme something much better had to be produced and that it would set the standard of how multi-storey car parks should look and that strategically, this was very important

·  the possibility of integrating the car park into the store at basement level and the success of the Selfridges basement car park on Oxford Street, London

·  that the availability of  the Millgarth site could provide an opportunity to redesign the building, rather than simply bolting on the car park

The following responses were provided by the developer’s

representatives:

  General design issues

·  that the intention of building a bridge over Eastgate would need to be reviewed in the light of the development of the scheme

·  that the Energy Centre on Bridge Street formed part of the second phase of development; that the developers were looking to future-proof phase 1 and to connect this to the energy centre when it came on line, as there would not be a sufficient number of shops in phase 1, however discussions were ongoing with the Council about connecting the markets to the Energy Centre

·  that the Eastgate and Harewood Quarter did not compete with the Trinity development as it was for a different market

·  that the transition to the development from the Victoria Quarter would be through the use of a raised platform on Vicar Lane(between the County Arcade entrance and the application site), which would enable this to be step free whilst still retaining vehicular access.  Whilst a pedestrian-first approach was being encouraged, it was not possible to take the buses off Vicar Lane as there was nowhere else to divert them to.  Whilst the final design of this had not been reached as discussions were still ongoing with highways, there would be an extended area of public realm

·  in terms of the Reginald Blomfield architecture, this was stronger on the northern side of the site, with the southern side being more diverse.  Whilst the Blomfield language was white Portland Stone and then brick, the use of Portland Stone on the John Lewis building was favoured, with this giving an element of the Blomfield language, whilst not trying to mimic it

·  regarding the rear of the John Lewis store, this would be the site of the customer collect area and the design of this would be brought back to Panel

Car park and highways

·  that the aim was for the car park to be of the same design quality as the John Lewis store however, the budget for the cladding of the car park was less than that for the store and that it was not as easy to work with a small budget and for it to look the same and that a different model was being considered with interest being introduced through other elements

·  in terms of the operation of the car park, John Lewis required tickets and machines, with these being located far into the car

·  park to allow for queuing traffic to be within the car park.  The car park would provide 600 car parking spaces and the volume of traffic would be controlled going in by ramps, and exiting by traffic lights, so it was felt there would not be queuing traffic on the highway

·  in respect of the car park exit, work had been undertaken with highways over a long period of time with Members being informed that the developer was confident that a solution had been found which works both on entering and exiting the car park 

·  regarding the quality of the car park, as Hammersons were the largest retail owner in the UK, they knew how to build, manage and run car parks; the aim was for this car park to be the one of choice and there was a commitment to delivering the best car park in Leeds

·  in respect of the massing and wrapping of the car park, every option had been considered, including a basement or roof top car park.  The problem of integrating the car park into the John Lewis store was that it would create a building which would be overbearing

·  that Members’ comments about the car park were noted and the developer was mindful that the car park had to be a building of high quality

The Chief Planning Officer referred to the issues which had been raised about the scheme and the phasing and stated that if the whole of the Eastgate and Harewood Quarter was fully built out from the start, this could result in Trinity experiencing some empty shop units, whereas by phasing the development, prime and unique shops would be delivered in the first phase.  This could only be seen as an economic advantage and adding to the prestige of the city and that Leeds was in a privileged position in respect of this scheme and that it was important for everyone to support the

scheme

In summing up the debate, the Chair provided the following comments:

·  that Panel understood the changes proposed to the scheme

·  that the external design of the car park was a vital component of the whole scheme

·  that concerns remained about how the car park would operate and that it must not lead to queuing traffic

·  that Members were pleased with the relationship of the scheme to both the Victoria Quarter and the markets and that the proposed new arcades were welcomed