Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding a change of use application for the former community centre into a 5-bed aparthotel (Use Class C1), including an extension over the existing boiler room, fenestration changes, insertion of skylights, reconfiguration and subdivision of the service yard area, bin store and bike storage at Headingley Community Centre, North Lane, Headingley, LS6 3HW.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented a change of use application of the former community centre into a 5-bed aparthotel (Use Class C1), including an extension over the existing boiler room, fenestration changes, insertion of skylights, reconfiguration and sub-division of a service yard area, bin store and bike storage at Headingley Community Centre, North Lane, Headingley, LS6 3HW.

The application was previously considered at the South and West Plans Panel on Thursday, 9^th June 22. Panel members sought further information regarding design elements with having regard to the Conservation Area, an internal redesign to move ground floor bedrooms to the other side of the building and noise levels in regard to bedrooms being close to the footpath and pedestrian crossing.

The applicant has since revised proposals in line with comments received from officers and Panel members.

Photographs and slides were shown throughout the presentation, and the officer in attendance provided Panel members with the following information:

·  The building sits in a prominent location on the corner of the North Lane and Bennett Road and situated within the Headingley Conservation Area.

·  The Headingley Taps and Manahatta is situated nearby.

·  The former use of the building was a community centre and overtime the building has been vandalised and used for graffiti.

·  The dormers have been removed as part of the proposals and the overall number of rooms has been reduced to 5. The windows also have more of a vertical emphasis, and changes to the window design have been made.

·  There has been a revision to the ground layout, and there is now only 1 bedroom near the pelican crossing.

·  Additional information received from the noise assessment has evidenced that noise can be mitigated by high spec acoustic glazing and a ventilation system.

·  With proposals removing the dormer windows, the design represents a sympathetic conversion of the existing building in the Conservation Area.

·  There is a benefit in bringing a long term heritage building back into use, and it was considered that the proposals will not have a negative impact on the buildings opposite.

·  The Conservation and Environmental Health Officers are now happy with the revised proposals.

Councillor J Pryor attended the meeting in support of the application and explained ward members are keen the building is utilised again and are supportive of the proposals as revised. Councillor Pryor reiterated the anti-social behaviour associated with the building in terms of graffiti and vandalism and was of the opinion that the proposed use of the building will work well in the local area.

In response to a question from a member, it was confirmed that the condition applied to the aparthotel regarding occupancy, is a standard condition and ensures people cannot stay longer than 3 months, and will have to move out for 3 months before they are able to move back in.

Panel members collectively supported the proposals put before them and were pleased that the revisions were more sympathetic of the local area and thanked officers for bringing back an improved application.

Following a vote on the recommendation, it was moved and seconded:

RESOLVED – To grant permission.