A busy month for the Planning Committee, with a presentation at each session and a lot of applications to review – we needed a drink after a long in-person meeting!
PRESENTATIONS
Residential Development, Marsh Lane.
On the site of the Coop Funeral Home, this 10-11 storey building would provide 207 1-, 2- & 3-bed residential units. Generally finished in red brick, the building will feature stone panels to break up the elevation. The tight site means no parking and a small external courtyard offering limited outlook for the four ground floor accessible units. Following the meeting, the developer responded to say that windows to the ground floor units could be replaced by glazed doors to ensure more daylight enters the apartments.
Student Accommodation, West Street (A58)
First seen in 2024, this scheme sees the demolition of Blenheim House and its replacement by a block containing 699 student bedspaces in a mix of types – studios of various sizes and cluster units. The design has been amended slightly as a result of discussions with the Council and the local community but remains a development rising from 6 to 18 storeys in height – this is lower than the new buildings on the opposite side of the A58 and comparable to the Marlborough Towers estate alongside. While welcoming the changes, we felt that the elevations could benefit from additional modelling to better identify a ‘crown’ and/or the introduction of colour to relieve the expanse of red brick.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS REVIEWED
Victoria Quays, Leeds Riverside (26/01361)
This 1980s residential development off Water Lane on South Bank kick-started the transformation of the riverside from dingy water channel to desirable destination and remains an interesting part of the city centre to explore. The Management Company has applied for consent to put gates at all access points in order to prevent anti-social behaviour, so ‘privatising’ a swathe of the waterfront. While sympathising with residents, we objected to the plan, suggesting that any closure should be restricted to the night-time period.
Morley Town Hall (26/001304)
A Morley Town Deal scheme will see the Town Hall significantly enhanced and we were able to support plans for various works necessary to complete the project.
St Mary’s Church Hall, Morley (26/01483)
Also part of the Morley Town Deal, consent has been given previously to convert the disused Church Hall into an adult learning centre. This application seeks to repair/replace the windows and carry out appropriate internal works – we offered our support for the well-prepared proposal.
Other Applications
Still in Morley, we also supported the conversion of West House Mill on Commercial Street (almost opposite the Church Hall above) to apartments. And we welcomed work on the external fabric of County House on Vicar Lane (formerly part of Flannels) as enabling work to open a new restaurant in the building.
We made comments on plans to install ventilation louvres in a new Tesco store at Headingley Central (formerly the Arndale) and the conversion of a shop unit in Chapel Allerton to a learning centre.
We discussed a further 9 applications, including 3 which propose converting residential properties into homes catering for 2/3 children with special education needs – as these require staff to be present all night and others to provide support during the day, parking is sometimes an issue. We also discussed 2 more applications for the installation of padel courts in disused industrial units – will this sport ever stop growing? We looked an application to demolish the Weston Parade of shops in Otley, an attractively designed group of retail units dated 1924 – there is no indication of what would happen to the site but we later heard that the application had been refused.
UPDATES ON SCHEMES PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED
Several applications discussed at previous meetings have been approved, including a new pavilion outside the Corn Exchange (we felt this should remain an open space), a new community space at St Mark’s Church in Woodhouse, apartments on the site of Weetwood Police Station (by the Lawnswood roundabout) and a vast new Microsoft Data Centre at Skelton Grange. With regard to the last, we are still seeking contact with the developer as there is uncertainty over enhancing nearby cycle/walking routes and links to the adjoining district heating system.
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Snippets of news garnered over the last month include the following:
- following campaigns in social media, the developer of the site of the former Yorkshire Post building is being pressurised to tidy up the iconic clock tower alongside the A58
- a new cancer care centre is to open in part of Headingley Stadium
- Leeds City Council is to shortly publish a revised Flood Risk Strategy which takes account of the protection offered by the now completed Flood Alleviation Scheme – it will also be working on a new Our Spaces Strategy to guide plans for Leeds New Town
- the Church Commissioners are consulting on the sale of land at St Mary’s Church in Hunslet for development – the tower would remain as a civic feature
- Knight’s Way Bridge which crosses the River Aire to Leeds Dock is to be tidied up but needs a long-term future as it is at present the responsibility of a company placed into liquidation.
TRANSPORT NEWS
Leeds City Council is to adopt a Street Charter aimed at making the streets accessible, safe and inclusive for everyone, including disabled people – it includes sections on pavement parking, wheelie bin storage, street furniture, overhanging shrubbery, faulty/damaged crossings and better reporting mechanisms but it is acknowledged that funding will be an issue. A discussion with a senior LCC officer at our Transport & Liveable Leeds Group informed us that EV registrations in Leeds rose from 2,000 in 2020 to 38,000 in 2025, that there is a trial to build channels to allow charging cables to cross pavements and that carbon emissions I the city are declining but only slowly.
The Trust’s Bus Strategy Group has met and is to arrange a half-day conference in the Autumn to bring together those interested in delivering a better bus service in Leeds – more details on this in due course. In the meantime, work continues on several major highway schemes – the new layout has opened at Dawson’s Corner at Owlcotes and, in due course, this will deliver enhanced bus priority.
Mike Piet – Chair of Planning Committee
