Planning Applications
In December we were pleased to support a variety of planning applications…
Oxford Place Chapel
Located next to the Town Hall, Oxford Place Chapel has sat empty for quite some time, but a new application submitted in December might see the building back in use soon. The application is for internal works to the ground floor and basement, with some changes to the layout and a freshen up of the interior. Our Planning Committee felt the application failed to consider accessibility requirements and wasn’t detailed enough with regards to the change of internal structure and the materials required. However, we were pleased to see that the building might finally be used. As a result, the Committee wrote a letter of support with comments.
Land at Queenswood Drive
A vacant slot of land off Queenswood Drive and Spen Lane is set to be built on by Leeds City Council. The development is for council housing consisting of a three-storey building with twenty one residential units, each with one to two bedrooms. The Planning Committee were pleased to see the proposal for much needed council housing and that the green boundary around the site would be kept. We submitted a letter of support for the scheme.
Manor Farm, Shadwell
A new application for Manor Farm in Shadwell was submitted in December – the third application for this site. Under these plans, the existing Dutch barns on the site, as well as two former cow sheds, are set to be demolished. Other agricultural buildings will be left and converted into four dwellings, including parking and landscaping. As with the past two applications, the Planning Committee were in general support of the new plans. We felt the historical information included was thorough, but that it could be helpful if a summary of the past plans were included. We submitted a letter of support with comments.
But also handed out some objections…
2 Otley Road (The Original Oak)
Another application came through for the Original Oak pub in Headingley, this time for new signage. The proposed plans are for new exterior signs as well as murals that would be added to the exterior walls. The Planning Committee were unhappy with the plans, particularly with the murals which it was felt detracted from the listed status of the building by drawing attention away from the architectural features of the building and others in the Conservation Area. As such, we submitted an objection letter.
Presentations
We were joined by Studio S2 Architects in December who presented their plans for the St Davids Court scheme to us…
Located on Water Lane, close to Bridgewater place, the site is set to accommodate an eight storey Grade A office building, with the current two-storey office buildings to be demolished. The developer, ATC properties, have owned the site since 1997 and are proceeding with the new office scheme to ensure the long-term future of the site.
The Planning Committee were generally supportive of the scheme and appreciated the level of detail in the plans. We were particularly happy that the plans are to make the building distinctive against the backdrop of redbrick used in the area, that angled glazing is to be used, and that the massing of the building seems appropriate for the location.
However, we also had a few concerns. We asked if the two storey cap on top of the building could be redesigned to fit more coherently with the rest of the building, that free circulation for pedestrians through publicly accessible spaces within the building at ground floor be considered and that the Design and Access Statement considers the impact of the building on the Conservation Area.
Thank you to Sue Sparling from Studio S2 architects for attending.
Transport
There was no Transport & Liveable Leeds meeting in December, but the biggest transport news was the unfortunate announcement that the West Yorkshire Tram is set to be delayed. This is very likely to be discussed at length at our next Transport meeting in January. Our Director Martin very succinctly sums up the frustration of this delay in his public comment below…
“This is yet another disappointment to add to the disappointments over the last 40 years that has meant that Leeds remains the largest city in Europe without a tram system. Leeds Civic Trust has supported the idea of a tram system throughout that period. Reading between the lines, it is clear that this decision has been heavily influenced by Whitehall, and whilst the Mayoral authority must put on a brave face, the city’s experience with HS2 shows that when major infrastructure schemes are kicked into the long grass, they are less likely to happen.
One key lesson must be learned. Across the rest of the world, major transit schemes are delivered far quicker and more cheaply when decisions and fundraising are made at a local level. They are not subject to a change in priorities that inevitably come with a change in national government and are not so reliant on central government handouts.
Meanwhile, as with HS2, our city is faced with more years of planning blight. Developers unable or unwilling to make a move until they have certainty about the precise routes to be taken by the tram and major public realm aspirations (for example City Square) unable to be taken forward until routes through the city centre are confirmed. Leeds Civic Trust continues to believe that Mass Transit is vital part of the city’s overall transport story and will continue to support the Mayoral Authority in its delivery.”
Click here to see our full statement on the WYCA Mass Transit delays here
Click here to see our article ‘Back to the Future: A Tram System for Leeds’
