Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of “City Reach 1” a Reserved Matters Application for appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of a mixed use scheme comprising private for sale residential (PFS) and private rented sector (PRS) residential with ancillary ground floor active uses, small scale retailing Café/Restaurant, Bars at site south of Kirkstall Road fronting the River Aire (Former First Bus Depot site)

(Report attached)

With reference to the meeting of 24^th March 2016 and the decision to grant outline consent in respect of Application No.15/06844/OT subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement.

The Chief Planning Officer now submitted a report which set out details of the reserved matters application in respect of the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale, pursuant to the extant outline permission for the City Reach 1 (CR1) site on the south side of Kirkstall Road with frontage to the River Aire.

Site photographs and plans were displayed and referred to throughout the discussion of the application.

The City Centre Team Leader together with the applicant’s representatives addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

The application was for “City Reach 1” a reserved matters application for appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of a mixed use scheme comprising private for sale residential (PFS) and private rented sector (PRS) residential with ancillary ground floor active uses, small scale retailing Café/ Resaurant, Bars at site south of Kirkstall Road fronting the River Aire (Former First Bus Depot site).

The proposal included 528 residential units and 309 student units (Cluster flats and studios) within 5 blocks, ranging in height from 5 to 12 storeys

Set around a landscaped public realm that maximises access to the river frontage through the provision of the increased amount of public open space and large river front park area. This would have a central spine running north/south between Kirkstall Road and the River Aire bridge with 2 large areas of soft landscaped parkland to either side set at a lower level than the main spine.

A new ‘village square’ would be established centrally within the site that would be located at the intersection of the north-south and east-west routes. This was intended to provide a focal point to the scheme from which the east-west link will extend through into the CR2 site to the west. Riverside connections both along and across the River Aire would be provided consistent with the terms of the existing S106 Agreement.

A total of 196 car parking spaces are proposed to be located within the site at

surface level with an additional 42 being created for CR1 within the additional car parking area being created on the adjacent CR2 site, although when first

constructed this area will contain 83 spaces 41 of which will be passed over to CR2 when that is completed. The applicants had previously proposed 500 car spaces in a basement facility, however, this has now been removed from the scheme for largely flood risk related reasons. The new parking spaces are contained either in under-croft areas at ground floor level or to the side of the buildings in landscaped areas laid out with block and bound gravel surface treatments. The scheme also provides a total of 517 residential and visitor cycle parking spaces and 8 electric vehicle parking points.                                  

Members raised the following questions:

·  What was the average room size per student

·  Do the proposed units comply with the National Described Space Standards (NDSS)

·  Are there any exceptions to the NDSS standards

·  Where was the pedestrian crossing located on Kirkstall Road

·  Was there a safe pedestrian route for students to and from the Universities

·  Access into the sight, is it left in, left out

·  Are there any proposals to address highway safety concerns in respect of cyclists

In responding to the issues raised, the applicant’s representative and council officers said:

·  The City Centre Team Leader reported that each student room would be 14m² and each cluster would have a 25m² shared kitchen lounge area. 22 studios would be provided each with an area of 21.5m². In addition there would be a communal student amenity space at ground floor level of 181m² and roof top terrace of 107m² 

·  It was reported that the units proposed across the whole of the site met the NDDS standards with the exception of 162, 1- bed (2 person) units and 20, 2 bedroom (3 person) units within the PRS part of the proposal. The standards set a minimum of 50m² for the 1 bed unit but these units were 47.1m² and 61m² for the 2 bed units but these units were being provided at 58.6m² to 59.4m^2.  Therefore in these instances the proposal was marginally less than the minimum

·  The City Centre Team Leader stated there were no exemptions to the standards, but the applicant had demonstrated that by removing internal corridors to provide a more open plan layout, the internal space requirements for circulation, general amenity and minimum bedroom sizes could still be acceptably delivered.

·  Officers confirmed that the pedestrian crossing was located in close proximity to the Fire Station

·   The site was in close proximity to a number of bus routes, pedestrian connectivity from the site to the Universities was satisfactory, walking mainly uphill

·  The highway officer confirmed access into the sight was left in, left out

·  The highways officer reported that there was already in place a shared bus and cycle lane along Kirkstall Road. The bridge over the river and connectivity along the tow path would also create safer cycle routes

In offering comments Members raised the following issues:

·  A number of Members were of the opinion that the open plan design justified the reduction in flat size

·  A small number of Members remained concerned about the size of the rooms

·  The majority of Members welcomed the proposals suggesting it was a well - designed scheme.

In summing up the Chair thanked all parties for their attendance and contributions. The Chair welcomed the scheme suggesting it would regenerate a large derelict site onto the outskirts of the city centre.

(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5 Councillor Campbell required it to be recorded that he considered the living conditions within the student accommodation to be unacceptable)

RESOLVED – That the Reserved Matters Application be approved subject to a variation to the Section 106 agreement attached to the original grant of outline planning permission ref 15/06844/OT to cover variations in the plans attached in respect of:

·  Reduced building block heights

·  Amount of publicly accessible area

·  Footprint of buildings

·  Revised active frontages plan

·  Updated building access points plan

·  Provision of 42 off-site parking spaces on CR2 site