Planning Inspector rejects Church Drive Housing appeal

1 Mar 17

An appeal by developers concerning a Church Drive building plot has been rejected by an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The piece of land in question is between numbers 11 and 37 of Church Drive on green space facing the turning circle. It was originally green space between two blocks of local authority housing which was sold off by Leeds City Council’s arms-length housing association as being surplus to needs and came complete with outline planning permission for two modest bungalows.

JWT Ltd, who bought the plot submitted a full planning application for four detached houses which the Parish Council opposed as being over-use of the plot. A second application for three detached dwellings was opposed and rejected by Leeds City Council for broadly the same reasons. The developer sought to appeal this decision but Leeds North East Plans meeting in December stood by the original rejection. Subsequently the developers appealed this decision to the government planning inspector and this too has now been rejected.

In her decision, the planning inspector states ‘the proposal would be harmful to the character and appearance of this part of the Conservation Area. Although the harm would be less than substantial, the moderate weight I attach to the benefits of the proposal do not outweigh the harm.The proposal would also be harmful to the living conditions of the occupiers of a ground floor flat. Therefore, and taking all other matters raised into consideration I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed’

It’s now expected that an application for two dwellings might be made.