South Leeds Life | January 2018
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www.southleedslife.com
8 Planning and development
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New planning application for Middleton shops site
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evised plans have been submitted by developer Marshall CDP for the St George’s Shopping Centre on the former Co-op office and warehouse site in Middleton. If successful the scheme will see both Lidl and B&M stores on the site along with nine smaller units, with permission for a betting shop. As well as bringing derelict land back into use, the project could create up to 180 jobs. We reported last October that planners had refused permission
for the original plans after eleven months of negotiations citing problems with landscaping and noise from a service yard to adjacent residential properties on Dolphin Road. Buildings on the site have been rearranged in the new submission, so that houses are shielded from noise on the site by the one of the stores. The plans show 284 car parking spaces and that nine existing mature trees will be removed and replaced by planting new trees
around the periphery and on the car park. A number of objections have already been made by residents. These focus on traffic issues at the roundabout and concerns about the impact on the existing Middleton District Centre, especially if B&M moves from their existing premises. The full plans can be viewed online via the Leeds City Council Planning Portal (search for ref: 18/00846/FU). Comments can be made until Friday 30 March.
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The park will weave through the Tetley brewery site and the new HS2 station
Planning and development 9
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Holbeck projects move forward Changing lanes ahead at Holbeck Neighbourhood Forum recently heard updates from developers about four major schemes including the iconic Grade I listed Temple Works
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he Holbeck Neighbourhood Forum heard from developers about progress on a number of schemes at their recent meeting. The Forum, which is open to residents and businesses and will discuss all new planning applications if the Neighbourhood Plan is approved in the upcoming referendum, met at St Matthew’s Community Centre on Saturday 10 February. David Hodgson from CEG told the meeting how they had stepped in to buy the iconic, Grade I listed, Temple Works on Marshall Street to stop it going to auction. South Leeds Life reported in December that with a reserve price of just £1 there were fears that an irresponsible developer could by the mill and allow it to deteriorate further. CEG do not have any firm plans for the building yet and are working to understand the structure which was revolutionary in the 1840s when it was built as a flax spinning mill. They plan to have carried out urgent remedial works and make the building watertight by the end of this year. CEG’s main scheme on the
corner of Water Lane and Globe Road is progressing with the first building work due to start later this year. Architect Nick Brown explained how he had been influenced by the Holbeck Neighbourhood Plan’s emphasis on green routes. The ‘Radius’ scheme of 223 flats on the corner of Springwell Road and Whitehall Road, which we reported on last May, will use trees at street level to deal with the problems of wind that their neighbour Bridgewater Place (‘The Dalek’) has suffered from. Work is due to start on the site in June this year. The scheme for Midland Mills, near the viaduct, will shortly be submitted for full planning permission. As well as renovating the historic mill complex to form modern workshops and offices, the scheme will see a 33 storey residential tower block on the site. The design of another project of 101 flats on Manor Road was inspired by the precision engineering firm that previously occupied the site (Alan Bush). The flats will be clad in copper and bronze.
he creation of a landmark new park in the South Bank area of Hunslet has moved a step closer after plans were approved at by the Council’s Executive Board last month. The park is envisaged to be approximately 3.5 hectares in size when fully complete, and creating it would deliver the public’s number one priority for the area, following feedback received in consultation about the South Bank carried out in 2016. The land proposed for the park covers multiple landowners, with Leeds City Council working with the biggest of those Vastint UK to support the delivery of the initial phase of the park. Executive board approval would see further work carried out on detailed design for the park along after Vastint secured Outline Planning permission in 2017. Work will also consider with how the park is to be managed. Construction work on the
park could begin in late 2019 with phased implementation over the next five years. To further support the plans, Leeds City Council proposes to redevelop its own land at Meadow Lane – a site which adjoins the former Tetley Brewery – with some of this land becoming part of the park, and with the road connections there altered to help reduce traffic dominance in the area. Potential new development opportunities at Meadow Lane would also see contributions made to support the park’s delivery. To manage the park, Leeds City Council is proposing to take out a long term lease for the whole city park site, working with the landowners involved to set up and deliver a sustainable structure to govern the park which could be as a community interest company, which would see the park established and maintained as a key civic asset.
Armley Gyratory system
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hilst the Armley Gyratory system is not in LS11, it affects many of us and Leeds City Council are consulting on changes to the junction aimed at improving traffic flows. Those travelling to the north of the city centre and beyond from Beeston and Cottingley will be familiar with the A643 ‘Ingram Distributor’. This is the dual carriage way which links Elland Road to the A58(M) / A64(M) section of the Inner Ring Road. They will also be familiar with the traffic queues that can stretch back beyond the M621 Junction 2 roundabout at peak times. The proposed changes to Junction 2 of the M621 which we reported on here, depend on better flow at the Armley Gyratory. The changes will also affect people trying to pick up parcels from the sorting office if Royal Mail gets its way with plans to close its Holbeck Delivery Office. The main aim of the three proposals in the consultation are to speed traffic flow from the Ingram Distributor to the Inner Ring Road and vice versa. This involves building a new route directly across the giant roundabout at ground level. Option 1 maintains the roundabout for users on other routes (a bit like the Dewsbury Road / M62 junction at Tingley. The other two options turn the junction into something more akin to the Spaghetti Junction interchange with some sections elevated onto bridges over the main south-north route. For full details, including improvements for cyclists and pedestrians, and to take part in the consultation, go to: armleygyratory.commonplace.is
Stourton Copperworks site brought back to life
Temple Works on Marshall Street
New park for Hunslet moves a step closer T
Website: www.southleedslife.com
January 2018 | South Leeds Life
A 33 floor residential block at Midland Mills will rival Bridgewater Place
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he Copperworks in Stourton has been a South Leeds landmark since it was built as the Leeds Copperworks in 1894. From the invention of the Yorkshire fitting and the supply of materials for shipbuilding repairs in World War I, the Copperworks has played a pivotal role in British industry and history. Generations of families have worked at the site, seeing the transition from Leeds Copperworks into Yorkshire Copperworks, as well as multiple mergers and takeovers since. The site has played host to a number of industrial breakthroughs, as well as royal visits, and at its peak was the workplace of a 5,000 strong workforce. It closed in 1980. In 1930 a works brass band was formed as the Yorkshire Copperworks Band. This still exists today as the Yorkshire Imperial Band, or Yorkshire Imps, you may have seen them performing in Middleton Park in recent
CGI showing the refurbished Copperworks at Stourton years. warehousing and distribution facility of The old works have been 300,000 sq ft has been created which refurbished with buildings re-roofed is currently on the market. and re-clad by Towngate plc. A modern