Go-ahead urged for 550 homes on former city industrial sites

Two applications have been put in for homes off Calverley Lane, Horsforth, Leeds, on land that used to be a chemical treatment works and a former dyeworks.

The Clariant ex-chemical works site could see 400 homes, a shop, allotments, and the retention of the sports ground with a sports pavilion and community centre. The nearby Riverside Mills former dyeworks could see 150 homes built.

Leeds Council officers have been in negotiations with the Clariant owners about road improvements and the need to make the site less isolated. Developer Harrow Estates, part of housebuilder Redrow, has proposed to pay towards a new bus service, road improvements, Metrocards for 60 per cent of residents and money for primary education.

Council officers are recommending that the plans be approved, saying the financial contributions by the developers “goes a long way in improving the sustainability credentials of the site”.

The developer has agreed to contribute £2,972 per home towards primary education and give £100,000 towards footpath and cycle link improvements. The total contribution to education, from both developers, would be just over £1.6m.

Officers have been told by the Clariant applicant that the plans are deliverable in the current market and that the first homes on the site could be ready for occupation by 2012-13.

A report, to be discussed by members of plans panel west on Thursday next week has revealed that 166 objectors have written or sent emails about the Clariant site plans.

Objectors have claimed the road network is choked and traffic congestion will get worse if the development goes ahead. Councillors, the local MP and Leeds Civic Trust have also raised objections.

MP Stuart Andrew has told the council that the site is isolated and difficult to make sustainable and had previously been rejected as unsustainable.

Horsforth Civic Society claimed the town was “hugely pressured by housebuilding resulting in problems with the A65 and Horsforth roundabouts”.

And Leeds Civic Trust objected on the basis that the location is unsustainable and that public transport will be hard to achieve.

The planning officer’s report concludes that the Clariant site is best suited to a residential development, and added: “Overall, planning officers conclude that there would be advantages to a well-planned residential led scheme and that residential development may be acceptable in principle, subject to the applicant satisfying the local planning authority that the site can be made sustainable through the package of measures offered.”

The Riverside Mills development is also being recommended for approval, subject to agreements on improvements to roads and contributions to transport and other services. Similar objections to the Riverside plans have come from local politicians and residents, including Horsforth Town Council.

A council planning report, to be discussed at the same meeting next week, concludes that the Riverside Mills site is not well suited for new employment development.

It concluded: “The site is a significant brownfield site that is inset within (and therefore nor subject to) green belt policies. The delivery of residential development on major brownfield sites, in sustainable locations, remains a key planning objective...”

It added: “Policy officers have confirmed that the site would not be well suited for new employment development. A well planned and integrated residential-led development offers the opportunity to bring beneficial use back to this site with a scheme that has the potential for being sensitively integrated into this green belt valley landscape.”