Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for a residential development of 151 dwellings with community use area, café, gym, residents lounge, outdoor amenity area and roof terraces

The report of the Chief Planning Officer sought Members agreement for officers to make representations on the appeal against non-determination of the following application:

Application 18/07930/FU – Residential development of 151 dwellings with community use area, café, gym, residents lounge, outdoor amenity area and roof terraces, land east of Carlton Gate and north of Clay Pit Lane.

A Position Statement had been presented to the Panel in August 2019 when a number of concerns had been raised by the Panel.  These included visual harm, loss of the mound and trees, scale and design of the proposals, impact on residential amenity and lack of affordable housing.  Since the meeting, the applicant had lodged an appeal against the non-determination of the application.

A further representation had been received from the Little London Tenants and Residents Association who would be making representations at the appeal.

Members of the Panel asked that the applicant be informed that they were willing to continue further negotiations with regard to the application.

RESOLVED – That officers make representations on the appeal against non-determination on behalf of the City Council on the following grounds:

1. The local authority considers that the proposed development and associated earthworks will lead to the complete loss of an extensive mound and landscaped area which will lead to the loss of mature trees and part of the city’s green infrastructure, to the detriment of the visual amenity and biodiversity of the area.  The proposal is therefore contrary to policy G9 of the adopted Core Strategy and Land 2 of the Natural Resources and Waste Local Plan, Leeds Saved Policies N9, N24 and GP5 as well as to guidance in SPG Neighbourhoods for Living, and the NPPF.

2. The proposed development would appear overly dominant and represent a

cramped, poor and unsympathetic form of development which is at odds with the general character of the immediate locality of Little London by reason of its siting, excessive height and massing in relation to context. The proposed development is therefore detrimental to the visual amenity of the area and character of the locality. The proposal is considered contrary to Leeds Core Strategy policy P10, Leeds UDPR Saved Policies GP5 and BD2, the NPPF and adopted SPG Neighbourhoods for Living.

3. The proposed development would result in the extensive loss of mature trees in a heavily trafficked location and adjacent to a recognised air quality management area. It is considered that the loss of trees, which positively contribute to the sustainability of the area by storing carbon in their biomass, would be harmful to climate change and the health and wellbeing of surrounding residents, contrary to adopted Natural Resources and Waste Development Plan Document LAND2 and Core Strategy policy P10 and UDPR Saved Policy GP5 and the NPPF.

4. In the absence of an agreed wind assessment, including wind velocity patterns and convergence patterns, the LPA are concerned that the development will have a detrimental effect on the surrounding microclimate which would be harmful to general public safety and highway safety contrary to Core Strategy Policy T2 and UDPR Saved policy GP5.

5. The proposed affordable housing model, to be delivered as a build to rent scheme, fails to provide the 20% benchmark provision of affordable units in perpetuity, contrary to the policy requirement as set out in H5 of the adopted Core Strategy Selective Review and National Policy Guidance Build to Rent.