Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of a pre-application presentation for full planning permission for a 14 storey hotel (Use Class C1) with associated ancillary restaurant and small scale conferencing uses at land between the Eastgate Roundabout, Dyer Street and the A61 to the east of the Victoria Gate multi storey car park, Leeds 2.

(Report attached)

The Chief Planning Officer submitted a report which set out details of a

pre-application proposal for full planning permission for a 14 storey hotel (Use Class C1) with associated ancillary restaurant and small scale conferencing uses at land between the Eastgate Roundabout, Dyer Street and the A61 to the east of Victoria Gate multi storey car park, Leeds 2.

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

The applicant’s representatives addressed the Panel, speaking in detail about the proposal and highlighted the following:

·  Site / location/ context

·  Heritage setting, Grade II Listed former petrol filling station located on the near-by roundabout and with long views along St Peters Street of the Grade I Listed Leeds Minster

·  The proposal seeks to create a 205 bed hotel, 14 storey’s in height

·  Ancillary use at ground and first for levels: conference space and restaurant use

·  Proposed 40sqm digital advertising screen to be integrated into the façade of the building

·  Service provision, pick-up and drop-off arrangements

·  Car parking provision should be available in the local area

Members raised the following questions:

·  Could more details be provided about the service arrangements

·  Was there any connectivity to the Market area

·  Coaches and other vehicles accessing Dyer Street may cause some congestion problems

·  The height of the building in this location is too excessive and out of keeping with its surroundings, particularly alongside the neighbouring John Lewis building, MSCP and listed historic filling station

·  Is the inclusion of a digital advertising screen essential

·  There was no car parking provision for this development, was this a potential problem in terms of relying on parking provision off-site

·  Could more details about the public realm be provided

·  Do you not consider that the digital screen could be dangerous

In responding to the issues raised, the applicant’s representatives said:

·  Members were informed that there will be a dual-functioning loop road, such that refuse vehicles would have access further into the site, taxis would use the initial turning head, and vehicles would not be able to reverse onto the highway.

·  A safe route would be provided through the site which would allow connectivity to the market area and a safe, pedestrian route to be maintained.  Discussions with neighbouring properties about such issues was ongoing.

·  The height of the building is similar to that of others in the area and on the opposing Quarry Hill site. This is a quality design located at a key access point, so could become a landmark building

·  An advertising screen is required for commercial deliverability.  This will bring a new hotel ‘brand’ to the City and provide a hotel in an area of the City where there is little existing hotel provision.

·  The advertising screen is seen as being an integral part of the building design, hence it is incorporated flush with the building and will form almost an oversized window-like element in the façade.

·  Members were informed that the proposal was for a 3-4 star contemporary hotel and it was envisaged customers would arrive by public transport.  Any vehicles that do require parking for overnight stays will be suitably accommodated within the existing provision in the John Lewis / Victoria Gate MSCP. 

·  Public realm in and around the building would be open to non-hotel guests and would provide connectivity to the Cultural Quarter, the new North side and Quarry Hill, soft landscaping would be provided throughout. 

·  The bar and restaurant within the hotel will be open to the public, so also provide a new public ‘offering’.

·  The digital screen would be positioned at a height to address safety concerns and would only display static images (very little movement).

In offering comments Members raised the following issues:

·  Members were supportive of the design of the building

·  A number of Members considered the development to be too high in this location and out of scale in relation to its surrounding context, particularly given nearby historic, listed structures.

·  A number of Members expressed concern about the need of an advertising screen. Others were supportive, but in a different location.

·  A survey of the car parking provision in the area was required.  The view was expressed that there is a considerable amount of development currently underway in the surrounding area, with not all of this being able to be supported by the car parking provision in the Victoria Gate MSCP as suggested.

·  More detail about the public realm provision was required.

·  In respect of the landscape/ public realm provision, more greenery was required.

·  Ideally the building should be lighter in colour and with the inclusion of green / living walls to be considered.

·  Excited at the presentation but disappointed at the answers to some of the questions, it was considered that all the questions had not been suitably addressed.

In drawing the discussion to a conclusion Members provided the following feedback:

·  Members were of the view that the proposed uses were acceptable

·  Members were supportive of the emerging design of the building generally

·  The majority of Members were not supportive of the addition of a digital screen and expressed the view that, if an advertising screen was to be incorporated, another location may be more appropriate than that currently proposed

·  Members were supportive of the proposed servicing provision, pick-up and drop-off arrangements but a car parking provision survey for the area was considered necessary

·  Members expressed the view that more information was required in respect of the proposals around public realm and overall approach to connectivity, including pedestrian safety in utilising pedestrian routes around and through the completed development site

The Chair thanked the developers for their attendance and presentation suggesting that Members appeared to be generally supportive of the design but queried if this was the right location for a building of this height.

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the details contained in the pre-application presentation

(ii)  That the developers be thanked for their attendance and presentation