What do we do about planning issues?

We aim to improve planning decisions for Moortown by:

• monitoring all planning applications for Moortown
• commenting on planning applications which we feel are important because they affect important buildings or are likely to change the general character of the area
• we have also advised prospective developers at the preparatory stage prior to application
• we endeavour to review and comment on Council initiatives that bear on planning.

Some examples

Corner House (Casino Building)

We made extensive comment objecting to proposals to develop the upper floor of the Casino building as multiple apartments: the first of these envisaged extension and conversion to make a third floor. The second, modified application was successful. We retain concerns about the adequacy of parking provision.

We supported a more recent application for change of use of the ground floor to allow larger retail facilities on the grounds that it would increase the chance of those retail facilities remaining.

Moor Allerton Gardens

We opposed a proposal to demolish a bungalow in Moor Allerton Gardens with replacement by a three storey apartment building. Our public opinion survey had shown many residents feel bungalows are an essential feature of the built form of Moortown and many more feel the building height should generally be limited to two stories. We spoke at the planning appeal alongside residents of Moor Allerton Gardens and were pleased to see the appeal turned down.

Street Lane

We opposed an application by St Gemma's to convert a house in Street Lane into a counselling facility on grounds of loss of valuable, good quality housing stock and inadequate parking facilities at a site where parking is already at a premium.

Site Allocations Plan

LCC consultation on retail, housing, greenspace, employment, June 2013. It starts with the requirement to build 70,000 homes over 5 yrs, of which 6,000 will be in North Leeds. Some have already been built leaving a need to find sites for the residual 3,035.

Proposals divided into sites definitely not for housing (red), those with problems (pink) and those likely to be suitable (green). There were a number of sites in Moortown.

Our response, in summary:

• Approve designation of Moortown Corner as Higher Order Local Centre
• 7-9 Sand Hill Lane: already built
• 29 Sand Hill Lane: suitable for housing but new house recently built on site
• Moor Allerton Gardens: already in use for private housing: current owners not aware of this proposal
• Yorkshire Bank sports ground: majority of site should not be used for housing: change to red to avoid loss of greenspace
• High Moor Avenue: change to red to avoid loss of greenspace
• Noted proposed site at Alwoodley Lane might be suitable for Park and Ride