Not many planning applications to review in March, but a great deal of other activity which might be of interest to the wider membership.
Our one presentation related to plans for a residential development on Springwell Road in Holbeck. It would sit next to the curved & stepped Springwell Gardens just completed on Whitehall Road and a 30 floor glass-faced tower (Springwell Gardens 2) that has been given consent on an adjacent site. The new block would be a part 27/part 12-storey block of 386 apartments for rent, largely finished in brick. Amenity space at ground level would be open to the wider community while residents would have access to roof gardens on top of both lower and taller blocks. However, we felt the design was not particularly exciting and mimicked much of what has already been built around the city centre – introducing balconies would provide totally private space and enliven the façade. We also had concerns over the visual impact on ‘Old Holbeck’ and potential parking problems (limited on-site spaces are available.)
Turning to planning applications, March was an unusual month in that we did not formally object to any of the schemes we reviewed. We did however comment on two projects where we felt the design could be improved
- Burley House, Burley Road: while welcoming this conversion of an unused historic building into a specialist care home, we had concerns over details of the application – use of UPVC windows, design details for cavity walls although this building is likely to be a solid construction and replacement of existing slates
- Queens House, Wellington Street: this listed building next to the Majestic has been extensively altered already but we supported the Council’s Conservation Team in requesting further justification for removal of the staircase – a good Heritage Statement sets out sensible repairs to the frontage.
We were able to support the following schemes:
- Deeper Life Bible Church, Shannon Street: the existing industrial building is to be reroofed to provide a two level church – we welcomed the reuse of some of the fabric and foundations
- South Accommodation Road: this is a proposal for an 11-storey block of 58 apartments squashed between the river, the CITU site and the busy highways – we felt the scheme made the most of a difficult site, with riverside gardens and balconies overlooking the waterfront, but that the highway access could be reduced in scale and provision should be made for a riverside public footpath
- Pizza Pilgrims, Boar Lane: we welcomed the removal of modern plate glass windows and their replacement by ones in keeping with the rest of the block
Our ‘no comments’ this month related to the construction of a specialist care home on Armley Top Road, a new classroom block constructed from shipping containers at Carr Manor School and advanced works for a new high-quality office block at Wellington Place (alongside the ‘rusty stairs’ up to the old viaduct.)
Updates on schemes previously discussed cover a number of schemes that have received planning consent – these include the redevelopment of The Core shopping centre on the Headrow into three blocks of student accommodation (with shops on the ground floor) and an EV charging station at M62 junction 28.
Other matters discussed at meetings included the following:
- STACK has been appointed to develop a container-based food & drink ‘village’ on part of the Kirkgate outdoor market
- the Leeds Pipes district heating system which uses hot water from the refuse incinerator in Cross Green to heat buildings is to expand towards Wellington Street and into South Bank
- plans have been published for the next phase of Aire Park, the redevelopment of the Tetley Brewery site, but an exhibition open for 4 hours and less than 2 weeks to respond to poor quality online images does not reflect good consultation practice
- there are Commonplace consultations allowing people to comment on highway issues in their area by dropping a pin on an interactive map and viewing previous comments – two areas are open until 7 April 2024 but other wards will follow (links are City Centre to Weetwood and Aireborough)
- until 20 April 2024, there is a chance to look inside the rebuilt First White Cloth Hall on Kirkgate – a temporary art gallery space is open Thursday to Saturday (12.00-18.00).
Something that might take up a significant amount of the Trust committee’s time over the next year is work on the Leeds Transformational Regeneration (LTR) Partnership. This collaboration between Leeds City Council, government, Homes England and WYCA will support a 10- year programme of change and investment focused on central Leeds. It sets out the basis of a regeneration strategy for six neighbourhoods in the city centre and the adjoining ‘rim’, including Mabgate/Eastside where the Trust has already been heavily involved. As well as picking up on existing commitments on transport and investment, specific schemes include moving forward plans for the British Library to move into Temple Works, a new National Poetry Centre in Trinity St David’s Church on Woodhouse Lane and significant enhancements to conference facilities at the Royal Armouries. The full report can be seen at A Vision for Leeds.
It’s been a busy month for transport related matters so it merits a separate section in this article. The items below were decided at a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in mid-March – this was the final session of the present mayoralty (full reports available on the WYCA website WYCA 14/03/2024):
- Bus Reform: consultation supported the outline case for franchising subject to an understanding of some key risks – as the company-promoted ‘Enhanced Partnership Plus’ would not deliver certainty and there would still be call on more public funding over time, the Mayor was recommended to proceed with franchising (WYCA will determine services and fares – as in London and now Manchester)
- Mass Rapid Transit: a report sought approval for public consultation on two routes (St James’s Hospital to White Rose & St James’s to Bradford), with construction to start 2028 – these are routes on which LCT has been consulting with WYCA officers
- revised Rail Strategy: this includes seeking commitment to a T-shaped station at Leeds, electrification to Harrogate & the Calder Valley, better links to E/W Midlands post HS2, etc
- Local Transport Plan: this needs to be updated following greater devolution and to incorporate subsidiary strategies e.g. buses, MRT, cycling, etc – first consultation will be in summer 2024, with formal consultation in summer 2025
- Active Travel Projects update: a report summarised progress on bus priority projects, station works at Harrogate, Skipton & Selby, electric buses, a new roof at Leeds Bus Station (including PVs), etc • lastly, but not associated with WYCA, the Beryl electric cycle hire scheme in Leeds has expanded out to Far Headingley, Meanwood and Chapel Allerton.
Other matters discussed at meetings included the following:
- STACK has been appointed to develop a container-based food & drink ‘village’ on part of the Kirkgate outdoor market
- the Leeds Pipes district heating system which uses hot water from the refuse incinerator in Cross Green to heat buildings is to expand towards Wellington Street and into South Bank
- plans have been published for the next phase of Aire Park, the redevelopment of the Tetley Brewery site, but an exhibition open for 4 hours and less than 2 weeks to respond to poor quality online images does not reflect good consultation practice
- there are Commonplace consultations allowing people to comment on highway issues in their area by dropping a pin on an interactive map and viewing previous comments – two areas are open until 7 April 2024 but other wards will follow (links are City Centre to Weetwood and Aireborough)
- until 20 April 2024, there is a chance to look inside the rebuilt First White Cloth Hall on Kirkgate – a temporary art gallery space is open Thursday to Saturday (12.00-18.00).
If you follow up the links in the article, you will find much more of interest but I have come to the end of the space allocated. Time to put away my pen and get back to planting vegetables in the garden
Mike Piet
Chair of LCT Planning Committee
