Outline plans to build a parade of shops and two drive-through restaurants at the Owlcotes Centre in Pudsey have been submitted.
Asda Stores Limited want to build either a new non-food retail parade or a gym to the rear of the existing Owlcotes Centre car park.
And, in a separate planning application, Marks and Spencer have applied to build two drive-through restaurants on the site.
Between them, the applications form an outline masterplan to strengthen the position of the Owlcotes Centre in the face of increasing competition from other retail developments in west Leeds, including the nearby Belgrave Retail Park in Stanningley.
Retail parade/Gym proposals
Asda’s plans are for a non-food retail parade or a gym at the back of the existing ‘under-utilised’ car park where the bottle banks are. The plans include a new 89-space car park.
Initial plans say the building could be split into three units – but Asda say it could ultimately be occupied by one tenant or several occupiers within a parade-type format. Their preference is for retail, but Asda say the building would also be suitable for a gym.
The final tenants for the scheme have yet to be decided.
The new building would include a ground floor and mezzanine level and result in an overall loss of 114 parking spaces on the site.
Asda argue there would be minimal impact on neighbouring retail centres in Pudsey, Stanningley Bottom, Bramley, Armley and Horsforth.
The outline plans can be viewed in full here.
Drive-through restaurants
Marks and Spencer say the two restaurants would employ around 30 people between them and would be based on grassland and a landscaped area near the car park entrance and existing petrol station.
There would be parking for 66 cars and potential opening hours would be between 5am and 12.30am the following day.
The tenants of the restaurants are not yet known.
A planning statement submitted by Marks and Spencer concludes:
“The proposed development, alongside the proposed Asda scheme, will enhance the attractiveness of the existing shopping centre in light of competition from new retail schemes in the west Leeds area.
“Given that the site is highly accessible by non-car modes (New Pudsey train station, existing bus services routing through the wider site), [using] existing under-utilised land will deliver significant benefits.”
What happens next?
Both outline applications want to establish the principle of development on the site, alongside access and positioning of the units. Detailed planning applications providing the height and actual design of the proposals will be submitted if the outline applications are approved.
A consultation event on the proposals was held at the Owlcotes Centre last December.
What do you think?
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