Racecourse Approach Planning Application
On Thursday, 29 August 2019, after a hearing lasting 3 hours, and in spite of the developer not meeting specified requirements from an earlier hearing, Leeds City Council Plans Panel considered the outline planning application by developers, Taylor Wimpey to build 800 new houses on land adjacent to Racecourse Approach, which forms the first part of an 1,100 houses development.
Wetherby Ward Councillor Alan Lamb, together with local residents, Peter Catton and Ingrid McLaughlin, speaking on behalf of Better Wetherby, argued that the application was flawed in several areas. Problems highlighted included lack of access to the site from York Road, lack of public transport, concerns about road safety and pressures upon already overstretched local services including health and schools.
Of serious concern was the likely impact of increased traffic from the development adding to already major problems of congestion and lack of parking spaces in the Town, with the associated harmful impact of air pollution caused by emissions from these additional vehicles on the health and wellbeing of local people. Climate change challenges and efforts to reduce carbon in new housing developments were also raised.
However, despite concerns, a majority of the Panel voted to support a motion by Labour Councillor Peter Gruen that the matter be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer with a directing proviso that no work could commence until outstanding major issues, especially relating to access had been resolved.
Councillor Alan Lamb said “The Panel gave us a fair hearing but, unfortunately, voting was on party political lines, with the majority Labour members all voting to accept the planning application. Fortunately, they accepted our arguments on the requirement that vehicular access was needed from York Road before development could take place and that a consultative panel would be set up to allow local interests to ensure that the development would meet Wetherby’s requirements.”
At a subsequent Planning Panel meeting on 30 January 2020, Taylor Wimpey sought to weaken the planning conditions on access from York Road. Better Wetherby members, Councillor Alan Lamb and Peter Catton, were successful in persuading the Panel to reject these changes unanimously and insist on the original conditions, as set out in the Leeds Site Allocation Plan and at the previous meeting, being met.
Recently the Leader of Leeds Council, Judith Blake, has stated in writing that “the outline planning application has yet to be determined” and that once further submissions have been received from Taylor Wimpey “we will be in a position to re-notify all interested parties in order that they have their comments”
On Thursday, 29 August 2019, after a hearing lasting 3 hours, and in spite of the developer not meeting specified requirements from an earlier hearing, Leeds City Council Plans Panel considered the outline planning application by developers, Taylor Wimpey to build 800 new houses on land adjacent to Racecourse Approach, which forms the first part of an 1,100 houses development.
Wetherby Ward Councillor Alan Lamb, together with local residents, Peter Catton and Ingrid McLaughlin, speaking on behalf of Better Wetherby, argued that the application was flawed in several areas. Problems highlighted included lack of access to the site from York Road, lack of public transport, concerns about road safety and pressures upon already overstretched local services including health and schools.
Of serious concern was the likely impact of increased traffic from the development adding to already major problems of congestion and lack of parking spaces in the Town, with the associated harmful impact of air pollution caused by emissions from these additional vehicles on the health and wellbeing of local people. Climate change challenges and efforts to reduce carbon in new housing developments were also raised.
However, despite concerns, a majority of the Panel voted to support a motion by Labour Councillor Peter Gruen that the matter be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer with a directing proviso that no work could commence until outstanding major issues, especially relating to access had been resolved.
Councillor Alan Lamb said “The Panel gave us a fair hearing but, unfortunately, voting was on party political lines, with the majority Labour members all voting to accept the planning application. Fortunately, they accepted our arguments on the requirement that vehicular access was needed from York Road before development could take place and that a consultative panel would be set up to allow local interests to ensure that the development would meet Wetherby’s requirements.”
At a subsequent Planning Panel meeting on 30 January 2020, Taylor Wimpey sought to weaken the planning conditions on access from York Road. Better Wetherby members, Councillor Alan Lamb and Peter Catton, were successful in persuading the Panel to reject these changes unanimously and insist on the original conditions, as set out in the Leeds Site Allocation Plan and at the previous meeting, being met.
Recently the Leader of Leeds Council, Judith Blake, has stated in writing that “the outline planning application has yet to be determined” and that once further submissions have been received from Taylor Wimpey “we will be in a position to re-notify all interested parties in order that they have their comments”
Better Wetherby have submitted a number of comments regarding the Racecourse Approach Site.
A full list of documents related to this site can be found at Leeds CC - Racecourse Approach , you can also submit your own objections on this Leeds portal.
A selection of objections to this site are detailed on this page
See this Press Release for comments from Better Wetherby following Leeds Plans Panel decision on 29th August.
