Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for a student residential development.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented an application for a student residential development at SOYO, Black A, Quarry Hill, Leeds.

The Panel had received a pre-application presentation at the meeting in July 2023 and Panel Members had visited the site prior to that meeting.

Site plans and photographs images were displayed and referred to throughout the discussion of the application.

Further issues highlighted in relation to the application included the following:

·  There had been a previous permission on the site for a multi-storey car park.

·  The proposals were for a 360 bed student accommodation block.

·  CGI images of how the proposals would look were displayed including views of the wider site.

·  Residential safety – the relationship with other buildings was explained and how overlooked the area.  There would be standard street lighting, CCTV and 24 hour a day site security.  This had been discussed with West Yorkshire Police and would be controlled by conditions.

·  There had been revisions to proposals for car parking and pick up/drop arrangements following the pre-application presentation.  There would be increased provision with provision of electric vehicle charging points.

·  Footpaths would be widened and would be accessible for wheelchair users.

·  There would be internal cycle storage with provision of electric bicycle charging facilities.

·  Materials to be used would include aluminium panels and a combination of bricks.  Samples were made available for inspection.

·  Detailing to the proposed building elevations was shown.

·  Floor plans were displayed.  Ground floor would include service and delivery areas as well as internal and external amenity space.  There would be a mix of cluster and studio apartments on the higher floors as well as amenity spaces.

·  The amount of amenity space was double than what was required.

·  Room sizes would be in excess of minimum standards.  There were also accessible apartments and ability to adapt others should there be demand.

·  Landscaping – this would follow the approach taken across the wider site.  It had been aimed to have fewer but larger landscaped areas within the site and Members were informed that there would be further landscaped areas of the wider site coming into use as other developments were completed.  There woud not have been any landscaping on site had the multi storey car park development gone ahead.

·  Wind - This and block D would provide an enclosure.  Testing had been done and the site was considered to be safe.  There were other features within the landscaping including screens and planters that would give protection from wind.

In response to questions from the Panel, discussion included the following:

·  A contribution had been agreed to provide cycle route improvements due to the increased cycle usage the development would generate.

·  With regards to the location of the cycle storage, this had been discussed with West Yorkshire Police to locate CCTV and lighting in optimum positions.  It was recognised that this was not ideal and there would also be access control to the storage.

·  There had been work with West Yorkshire Police regarding security in and around the wider site.  The development was seen as an improvement for the area as there would be increased pedestrian activity.  There had been discussion regarding access, lighting and CCTV provision.  All systems would meet British Standards and there would be 24/7 site security 365 days a year.

·  There was no requirement for a greenspace contribution.

Members thanked officers and the application for their work following the pre-application discussion.

RESOLVED – That the application be deferred and delegated to the Chief Planning Officer for approval subject to the specified conditions at Appendix A, consideration of comments made by Active Travel England and the completion of a Section 106 agreement to include the following obligations:

-  Travel Plan & Monitoring Fee (£4787)

-  Development to be occupied by full time students in perpetuity

-  Local Employment and training initiatives

-  Retention of public accessibility through the site

-  Contribution to Eastern Gateway Highway Improvement Scheme (£84,000)

-  Contribution towards Leeds E-Bike Scheme (£32,000)

-  Section 106 management fee

In the circumstances where the Section 106 Agreement has not been completed within 3 months of the resolution to grant planning permission, the final determination of the application shall be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer