Agenda item

To consider a report by the Chief Planning Officer which sets out details of an application which seeks the for demolition of existing buildings, construction of two residential (Use Class C3) buildings including communal areas for residential use, servicing, basement car parking, landscaping, public open space and highway works at land off Marsh Lane, Saxton Lane and Flax Place, Leeds, LS9 8HE

(Report attached)

With reference to the meeting of 19^th October 2019 and the decision to defer and delegate the application to the Chief Planning Officer for approval subject to the draft conditions and the completion of a Section 106 Agreement.

The Chief Planning Officer now submitted a report which explained that one of the obligations to be included within the agreement was to provide 15 No. affordable housing units on site. This figure was the result of the independent review, undertaken by the District Valuer’s Office, of a Development Viability Appraisal submitted by the applicant. The report concluded that although the applicant could not afford the full policy compliant position of 7% of the total units as affordable housing the applicant could afford to provide 4.23% (15) of the total units as affordable housing in addition to the other Section 106 and CIL obligations. The units would be provided at the Council’s adopted affordable benchmark rents and proportionally reflect the mix of accommodation type and unit sizes proposed within the overall development.

It was reported that following lengthy discussions with the developer and funders of the development and due to the difficulties of providing on-site affordable housing in this case, and taking into account the flexibility provided for affordable housing on Build to Rent (BtR) schemes by the Council’s adopted policy, it had been concluded that the commuted sum option was now the preferred route. The applicant had also stated that the timetable for the commencement of construction was to be on site in Q2 of this year, and so the requirement to receive planning permission was now urgent.

Members raised the following questions to officers:

·  The affordable housing was not able to be provided on-site and the proposal was now to provide a commuted sum which would be spent in the vicinity of the site.

·  Members queried if the commuted sum would be spent within the same Ward 

·  In agreeing to an off-site commuted sum, were we not setting a precedent

In responding to the issues raised, Planning Officers said:

·  Officers confirmed that under the revised adopted Core Strategy policy (H5) a commuted sum in lieu of on-site provision was policy compliant for BtR development

·   Members were informed that there was a proposal to potentially use the commuted sum on a neighbouring development

·  Members were informed that a revised policy had already been adopted and an off-site commuted sum was policy compliant 

In offering comments Members raised the following matters:

·  If this was a different type of residential development, on-site affordable housing would be required

Referring to the revised adopted policy the Chair said that an off-site commuted sum for affordable housing provision was now policy compliant and in this particular case would move the project forward.

RESOLVED – To approve a revision to the obligations agreed at City Plans Panel on 10th October 2019 in respect of affordable housing provision i.e. from 15 affordable units to be provided on site to an off-site commuted sum of £1,084,881.

(Under Council Procedure rule 16.5 Councillor C Campbell required it to be recorded that he voted against this decision)