Plans to reduce parking and cycle spaces at the proposed Kirkstall Place development in the heart of Kirkstall are causing concerns with Leeds City Council planners.
Developers Artisan want to redevelop the mostly derelict site with up to 263 homes and flexible commercial floorspace which could be used as retail, professional services or offices.
Artisan, who submitted plans in March, have been working with different Leerds City Council departments to ensure that their proposals are acceptable.
But a number of highways concerns remain.
A report published by the council’s principal engineer Andrew Thickett said that despite revisions to the scheme, a number of issues surrounding its layout remain. He said:
“Car parking and cycle parking arrangements have changed with the latest layout, the numbers of both spaces has reduced to a level that causes concern. With the decrease in spaces there is also increased lack of clarity on how the parking will operate. “
Mr Thickett said more information was needed on how car and cycle provision would be allocated across the site.
He also raised concerns about the width of footpaths which include trees planted along them.
The report also adds the traffic modelling shows the junctions around the site including the gyratory to work within capacity, “which doesn’t wholly ring true observations of the junctions”.
It says:
“The gyratory and the Kirkstall Lane/Kirkstall Hill/Morris Lane junction both suffer from congestion at peak times. Queue data hasn’t been submitted to validate the models, further information on the validation of the base traffic models is required. The development will add cumulatively to the congestion at these junctions.
“…More traffic from the development is likely to use Kirkstall Hill / Kirkstall Lane where traffic lights offer a safer, more certain route. A test should be carried out of the Bridge Road / Abbey Road traffic using this route to exit the site.”
The report concludes:
“There remain a number of issues relating to the layout of the development to be addressed as described above before the development can be considered acceptable.
“Additionally to address the cumulative impact of the site and protect the functioning of the highway network into the future land is required from the site for an improvement to the Kirkstall Lane / Kirkstall Hill / Morris Lane junction. “
View the plans in full here.
