200 city centre apartments to bring ‘vibrancy and vitality’ to industrial site
An application for 204 Built to Rent (BTR) apartments in Leeds has been given the green light by councillors.
The City Council’s City Plans Panel passed the plans for the land off Foundry Street And Saxton Lane. The land is currently occupied by industrial buildings, which will be demolished.
The redeveloped site is to include 110 one-bed, 69 two-bed, 24 three-bed apartments and a single four-bed unit.
These will be arranged within a series of three attached blocks of 20 storeys, 17 storeys and 15 storeys. The building will also including residents’ amenity space and a terrace roof garden.
A total of 11 undercroft car parking spaces are proposed, along with 206 secure cycle parking spaces.
Councillors were told the developer would make provision for affordable homes at 3.43% of the total provision, equating to seven units – resulting in a contribution of £705,000.
A council officer’s report recommending the application should be approved states: “It is considered that the proposal is an appropriate use, scale, design and style for this site which would result in a high quality, appropriate development.
“Although the full policy requirement for affordable housing cannot be met, the reduced amount has been justified by a financial viability assessment that has been verified as acceptable by the District Valuer.
“The scheme would bring much-needed housing, as well as adding to the vibrancy and vitality to the area and furthering its regeneration to the benefit of both the existing and emerging community in the wider area.”
While the plans met with broad approval, councillors on the panel said they were disappointed the council’s target policy of 7% affordable housing has not been met.
Cllr Colin Campbell said: “While the visuals do look quite good, what we’re now seeing around the edge of Burmantofts is these city centre type developments spreading out into the area.
“They all seem to be these BTR flats, and none seem to be able to comply with our affordable housing policy.”
He was backed by Cllr Caroline Gruen, who added: “I accept the officers’ view that these plans are policy compliant overall.
“But I’m really disappointed with the contribution for off-site affordable housing. We ought to be fighting for all the on-site affordable housing we can get.”
Cllr David Blackburn said: “I hope the money which is raised from this is used in that locality to supply housing for people who need it.”
Despite these reservations, the plans were passed by the panel by 10 votes to three.
However, the delivery of affordable housing has proved to be a sticking point for the Plans Panel in the past, with a Chinese backed BTR development rejected in January in part because it failed to meet the council’s policy position.
