By John Baron
Plans for a new shopfront and roller shutters on Armley Town Street could replace Armley’s ‘hippo’ mural.
Proposals submitted to Leeds City Council by applicant Iftakar Ali are based at an empty retail unit on Town Street, at the junction with Branch Road.
A design statement submitted with the application said: “The retail unit is currently vacant and has been for six months prior. The landlord is having difficulty in re-letting the unit in its current form, however has interest from tenants requiring smaller units with a more favourable rent due to the current economic climate.
“The unit is proposed to be split in two, allowing small business start-ups to take advantage of lower rents.
“The proposed shopfront is to be of a traditional design constructed in timber with raised mouldings in order to enhance the historic significance of the Armley conservation area.”
The statement says the proposal would ‘remove an obtrusive mural, and offer a much more attractive shopfront with traditional features and attract more variation of small businesses’.
WLD reported in 2019 how Armley’s famous hippos were brought to life in a mural at the junction of Armley Town Street and Branch Road.
The hippo on the colourful artwork refers to the hippo bones from four animals found in 1851 at the site where Armley Gyratory now sits. The mural was the work of Leeds-based King Monk Studio, who were supported by Butt Lane McDonalds, Amber Cars, Krol Mini Market and Leeds City Council.
WLD reported in March that plans for a new shopfront and the installation of external roller shutters were refused by council planners.
- The latest plans can be viewed in full here.
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