New plans for school site in busy city suburb

Councillors will meet on Thursday this week to discuss a “pre-application presentation” which outlines a fresh masterplan for the site off Headingley Lane.

Previous plans for the site went to a planning inquiry and while an inspector accepted the principle of residential development he had substantial reservations about details of what was being proposed.

Councillors are now being asked for their views on the revised masterplan, which has been drawn up ahead of any formal planning application.

The current masterplan has changed the mix of house types from the previous application. There are now no apartments proposed in the new build areas of the site and there are 49 townhouses (reduced from 51) proposed. Overall there has been a reduction of 17 units from the previous application.

A report to a council planning committee suggests that elements of the revised application may still not be acceptable.

The report says that the retention of vehicle access onto Headingley Lane “raises strong highway safety concerns relating to poor visibility, width, kerb radii, and gradient from the junction onto the main arterial route.”

The previous scheme proposed closing this access to all but pedestrians and cyclists which was “a strong positive material consideration that the previous scheme had in its favour”.

Planners have also raised concerns about access from private driveways and the “insufficient” number of car parking spaces for the 12 apartments at Rose Court.

Concerns have also been expressed about the relationship between some of the housing blocks, the impact on trees and the proposals for small gardens that will be overshadowed by neighbouring buildings or trees.