We’ve seen plans for lots of extensions, expansions and demolitions this month!
The Old Box Office, Holbeck (26/04941/FU)
The Old Box Office building in Holbeck is set to expand under new plans submitted this month. This would see internal and external alterations to the space, creating a brand new community hub for Holbeck Together. The charity is already located in the building, but the works will open up and revamp the space and create a charity shop, reception area, community café and kitchen. The building was originally a cinema – Holbeck Picture House – which opened in January 1916 and closed in July 1962. The space has since been used as a bingo hall and a branch for Leeds Building Society; Holbeck Together moved into the box office in 2017. Our planning committee were pleased to see that the plans would bring the whole building back into use and help support the important work of Holbeck Together. The only major thing the committee noted were blank elevations on the side of the building on Domestic Street – they recommended in their letter of support that this could be made to be more active.
Swillington Clinic (26/03326/FU)
The committee also looked at an application to demolish a former medical practice building in Swillington. The demolition would make way for two blocks of eight flats to provide supported living. A communal space would be created in the blocks, with a well-sized landscaped area surrounding them outside. Whilst the planning committee felt happy to support the creation of space for assisted living, they observed a number of discrepancies within the floor plans and elevations. For instance, the elevations for one block showed a step change in the height of the roof windows, but within the plans this was shown as a stair rising into a flat landing. These concerns were echoed in their submitted letter of comment.
1 Whitehall Quay (26/04431/FU)
Perched just next to the river Aire and minutes away from Leeds City Station is 1 Whitehall Quay. The large office block was opened in the early 2000s and is five stories high. An extension to the building was proposed in another application that came through this month. This would see a seven-storey extension built on the Northside of the building, another two-storey extension, re-cladding of the building, and improvements to facilities (a rooftop terrace and business lounge). This would increase the space from roughly 72,200 sq ft to 135,500 sq ft. The committee did not object to the principle of extending and upgrading an office in this prime location but were unconvinced by the design approach to the extension. They felt either that the extension should either continue the rhythm of the existing building or offer a more obvious contrast. We felt that the designs as presented fell between two stools. These thoughts were included in a letter of comment.
54 Brudenell Road (26/03293/OT)
Plans to create eighteen new apartments on a small parcel of land in Hyde Park were also looked at this month. These would primarily be one and two bedroom flats, over three floors and across two blocks. The site would provide 18 car parking spaces, and an amenities space for residents. However, our planning committee had some points for improvement! There were no details on what the ‘amenities space’ would consist of, and if this would be landscaped; it was felt the design of the building could be better, reflecting the history of the nearby area; further landscaping could be incorporated on the site; and PV panels could be included.
Some Other Applications We Took a Look at This Month…
- Seacroft Hospital (26/04689/FU): A new Community Diagnostic Centre is to be constructed as an extension to Seacroft Hospital under new plans. There would be a partial demolition of some areas on the site, along with additional parking and landscaping. The committee were pleased to see this application and felt it was a good addition to the site and a much needed facility for the city
- Former Site of Richmond House (26/04557/FU): The site formerly occupied by Richmond House, a care facility that closed in 2021, is set for a block of twenty-five affordable apartments. The council have requested various amendments to building based on its scale and materials used. The planning committee were pleased to see the block would be for affordable housing but submitted a letter of comment recommending a change in the use of brick as well as the incorporation of balconies.
Transport News
Time for Trams Conference
Our Director Martin attended the Time for Trams Conference in Coventry last month. The core of the conference was based around how to speed up the delivery of tram systems in the UK. Coventry was chosen as the location for the conference due to the ‘Coventry Very Light Rail’ trial that is taking place in the city.
The benefit of the very light rail system they are pioneering is a reduction in disruption when constructing the lines, meaning a tram network can come to life quicker and cheaper – around 250 metres of track was laid in about 12 week instead of many months using a conventional system.
The ‘Very Light’ approach involves excavations of only around 30 cm meaning that existing utilities can remain in situ. A specially reinforced concrete slab is laid down to which the tracks are attached. The promoters behind the Coventry scheme are looking to market the system commercially in 2028 – maybe an option for West Yorkshire?
The conference also discussed other barriers to rapid take up of tram systems. These included too much oversight from central government, gold-plated business planning and the inability of mayoral authorities to raise their own funds (counterparts in other countries often have tax-raising powers). Far smaller towns and cities in places like France and Germany benefit from tram systems – and the significant economic and regeneration benefits that they bring.
There was even a “tram simulator” – Martin had a go and tells us that he managed to avoid a crash!
Leeds Civic Trust continues to be a strong supporter of a tram system for Leeds and will continue to engage with the Mayoral Authority (WYCA) to help them to bring this about. To that end, the Trust recently responded to two consultations on mass transit. The first co-ordinated by Urban Transport Group feeds into the national working group looking to speed up the delivery of tram systems, and the second was a response to WYCA’s Spatial Development Framework.
Thanks for reading!
