Student tower block toppled by planners (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

Student tower block toppled by planners

July 4, 2006 8:08 AM

Councillors and local residents have lodged their objections against plans for a student tower block on the junction of Shay Street and St Mark's Road, Woodhouse. Having seen their area become swamped with student halls in recent years, locals can breathe a sigh of relief that the application has been refused by Leeds City Council. New planning guidelines have meant that the council must now take into account the effect such a development would have on the neighbourhood and its residential balance. Local Councillors Penny Ewens, Kabeer Hussain and Linda Rhodes-Clayton have explained why they opposed the application.

Councillor Penny Ewens (Lib Dem, Hyde Park & Woodhouse) said "This is another example of a developer-led proposal, which ignores its surroundings and the interests of local residents. UNIPOL tell us that there is no need for yet more purpose built student flats. This is an area where Leeds urgently needs family-friendly housing, including social housing. The proposals ignore such factors as traffic, parking problems already existing, and the balance necessary between student housing and other housing in the 'Area of Housing Mix'. The application contravenes eight policies in the Leeds Unitary Development Plan and guidance in 'Neighbourhoods for Living'.

Councillor Kabeer Hussain (Lib Dem, Hyde Park & Woodhouse) added " This proposal would not provide greespace on the site or nearby for public use, again against two of the policies in the Leeds Unitary Development Plan"

Councillor Linda Rhodes-Clayton (Lib Dem, Hyde Park & Woodhouse) commented " An area so close to Little London deserves better provision than this, which could take in the needs of local people. It would be an overpowering building taking light from flats and houses down the hill and to the north of the site."

The reasons for the refusal are as follows (information provided by Andrew Crates, Leeds City Council Community Planner, North West Area Management Team)

1. The development is considered to propose an over overintensive, overdeveloped use of the site by virtue of the height, size and mass of the building in its context; insufficient number of parking spaces; insufficient external amenity areas, landscape setting and buffer zone to the adjoining churchyard; and by virtue of the number of students to be accommodated.

The development would thus be detrimental to the visual amenity of the general streetscene and to the character of the area; detrimental to the residential amenity of existing (in the area) and prospective residents; detrimental to traffic and pedestrian safety and contrary to the objectives of striking a balance between student accommodation and other forms of housing in the Area of Housing Mix.

The proposed development is therefore contrary to policies H15,GP5, N12,N23,N24,N51,T24,BD5 of the Leeds Unitary Development Plan and Supplementary Planning Guidance `Neighbourhoods for Living'.

2. The proposed development would fail to provide adequate amenity open space (greenspace) on site or in the locality to provide for open space available for public use, and as such would be contrary to policies N2 and N4 of the Leeds Unitary Development Plan.

3. The attached jpeg shows Cllr Ewens with Cllr Kabeer Hussain outside the Shay Street site.