Agenda item

To receive the report of the Chief Planning Officer on a Position Statement for two residential blocks at 17 and 21 storeys high, comprising of 463 flats with linked podium, car parking, landscaping and associated facilities at Land At The Former, Doncaster Monk Bridge Works, Whitehall Road, Leeds, LS12 1BE.

(Report Attached)

With reference to the meeting of 2^nd November 2017 when Members received a pre-application presentation in respect of this site.

The Chief Planning Officer now submitted a report which provided a position statement in respect of the application which sought the construction of two residential blocks at 17 and 21 storeys high, comprising of 463 flats with linked podium, car parking, landscaping and associated facilities to land at the former Doncaster Monk Bridge Works, Whitehall Road, Leeds, LS12 1BE

Members visited the site prior to the meeting today. Site photographs and plans were displayed and referred to throughout the discussion of the application.

Planning Officers together with the applicant’s representatives addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

·  Site location/ context

·  Lay out proposals; two residential blocks 17 and 21 storey’s high, comprising of 463 flats

·  External landscaping

·  Elevations – horizontal grid pattern with recessed windows

·  The inclusion of metal wind protection baffles to the west side of the western block

·  Mixture of apartment sizes

·  Car parking arrangements

·  Public realm/ landscaping

·   Servicing arrangements

Members raised the following questions:

·  A number of Members raised concerns about the small size of the studio apartments

·  Would the wind baffles reduce wind speed at ground level

·  Was 459 cycle parking spaces really required

·  Would the affordable units be delivered on a “pro-rata” basis 

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

·  The applicant confirmed the studio apartment had a size range of 31m² to 32m² but there was a mixture flat sizes within the development, larger units may affect the viability of the scheme

·  The baffles would offer wind mitigation to pedestrians and cyclists in the public realm area. The Central Area Team Leader said the latest wind report was still subject to independent review by the Council’s consultant. The site had to be safe for the types of use anticipated around the site.

·  The Highways Officer said the intension was to promote cycle usage with one space per flat

·  The affordable units were proposed to be evenly provided across all unit sizes to reflect the overall mix of accommodation.

In offering comments Members raised the following issues:

·  There was a lot of good features within this application

·  The majority of Members had concerns about the size of the studio apartment

·  There was a need to fully consider recent information received from the District Valuer in respect of the viability of the scheme as the applicant considers the scheme could not provide affordable housing to the Council’s adopted benchmark rents as a ‘Private Rented Sector’ development. This would be presented at a future Panel

·  Consider further the mix of residential units in respect of the number of 3-bed units

·  The wind mitigation measures must work

·  Members were supportive of the details around design, landscaping and layout

In summing up the Chair thanked all parties for their attendance and contributions, suggesting that the size of the studio apartments was a real concern for Members and asked that that the issue be looked at further.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted