Another busy month for the Planning Committee saw many planning applications up for consideration…
Microsoft Data Centre, Knostrop
Arguably the most notable application we looked at this month was for a Microsoft data centre, proposed for vacant land in Knostrop. The site, which sits adjacent to the River Aire and the Skelton Grange energy facility, is set to see three large data centres and a substation built on it. One of the main points of concern for the planning committee was the potential negative impact on the environment. The application showed minimal use of solar cells for generation of power and the committee expressed that solar panels could be attached to all roofs on the site.
We were also disappointed to see no mention of the site being connected to the District Heating Network in the city and expressed concern that excess heat could be discharged elsewhere, potentially into the nearby river which could damage elements of the eco-system. We also noted that development of the site could also include improvements to the TransPennine Trail, particularly to the Skelton Grange Bridge, which still requires cyclists to carry their bikes down steep steps and makes the trail even more inaccessible for disabled people. These concerns were reflected in our letter of comment which was submitted.
Land Off Common Lane, East Ardsley & Former Jump Arena, Burley
We had two applications for padel centres in January. The first, located in East Ardsley, would see a number of agricultural buildings redeveloped for padel courts. Our planning committee was happy to see the buildings potentially be brought to good use and agreed upon a ‘no comment’.
The second application was for the site previously occupied by Jump Arena (an indoor trampoline park) in Burley. The building on the site has been vacant for several years and has seen instances of arson. The plans are to demolish the existing building and build five indoor courts and other relevant facilities. Overall, we were pleased that the site could be brought back to life under the plans and felt another no comment was appropriate.
We’ve had several residential applications come through this month too…
26 – 27 Park Square
This application proposes to alter what was office space, into residential apartments at 26-27 Park Place. The application was of good quality and included a very detailed heritage statement with a full list of the historic features of the building. Overall, the planning committee felt the plans would allow for a sympathetic conversion of the building and submitted a letter of support.
96 Blue Hill Lane, Wortley
A block of flats are proposed for this site in Wortley. Currently occupied by a singular residential dwelling, the plans are to demolish the existing building to build a larger block. Whilst the planning committee had no issue with flats occupying the land, as opposed to the house, they did feel that more detail was needed before the works potentially commenced. Firstly, we felt that that further historic information should be provided about the existing house on the site and stronger justification should be provided for its demolition. How the site is to be used was also discussed and further elaboration on this should be considered. These points were reflected in our letter of comment.
Land To East of Ring Road, Bramley
Another block of flats are proposed in this application, but this time just off the Stanningley bypass in Bramley. The plans are for 12 flats on what is now vacant green space. This was a relatively straightforward application that did not raise any concern for the committee and should offer much needed new housing for the area. The only real concern was the lack of any foot path access to the site, but this was not enough to warrant comment.
Kirkgate Collapse…
Works on the collapsed buildings on lower Kirkgate, the oldest street in Leeds, has finally begun. The historic buildings collapsed almost two years ago and commencing restoration works has not been easy due to a multitude of factors.
With works on Kirkgate commencing, local businesses have expressed a desire to keep the road on Kirkgate closed to traffic. Leeds Civic Trust supports this view. Read more about this here:
See our previous statements and news posts on the Kirkgate disaster:
- Kirkgate Collapse Update – July 2025
- Kirkgate Urgent Works Update – March 2025
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Statement: Dismay as Wapentake on Kirkgate closes – June 2024
Transport
There were a number of hot topics discussed at our Transport & Liveable Leeds group meeting this month, the first of which was the big news of the delay to mass transit in the city (click here to see our statement on this news). The general feeling within the group was one of frustration and the sense that we could be seeing history repeat itself once more. Our Director, Martin Hamilton, wrote a piece for our members magazine ‘The Owl’ about the decades long struggle Leeds has experienced in the fight for mass transit, which we have published online as a one off – click here to read the article.
On a more positive note, the group were pleased to hear of the government’s commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail. Whilst we discussed that ammendments could be made to make the plan easier and cheaper, the group were happy to see that the first phases would be concentrated in Yorkshire & Leeds.
And lastly, bus franchising! Some group members met with Councillor Peter Carlill in December 2025 and details of this meeting were shared. Bus franchisng was identified as a key topic for the group to work in in the coming years. . Click here to read our report on bus franchising.
