By John Baron
Plans for eight detached houses on land off Rodley Roundabout have been withdrawn by the developer, following a number of objections.
As first reported by WLD last month, the four-bedroom detached homes were earmarked for disused land next to the Oaklands Service Station, off the Outer Ring Road. Access would be from the car wash site and 13 car parking spaces are planned.
But Councillor Peter Carlill (Lab, Farsley & Calverley) labelled the proposals a ‘non-starter’ and ‘unacceptable and dangerous’.
A report by highways officers raised a number of concerns, including ‘fundamental issues’ around access and internal layout. In a report, they wrote:
“The internal layout is significantly substandard and does not meet the standards for highway adoption. The parking provision is also inadequate, with insufficient width within the dwellings curtilages for off-street parking, bin storage and cycle parking.
“The proposals are considered an overdevelopment, and the plans submitted do not meet key standards and policy requirements.”
The applicant was named ‘Iqbal’, and their address is given as the service station. A developer’s planning statement accompanying the application argued the proposed development site is vacant and a derelict parcel of land.
The statement added: “It offers an opportunity to bring it into effective use by the construction of eight dwellings, which would enhance the local environment and contribute towards the Leeds strategy for housing. The proposal is considered to be compliant with the relevant national and local planning policy and approval is sought.”
The withdrawal of the planning application was welcomed by Cllr Carlill, who said: “Following comments and objections received I’ve been informed that the planning officer made clear to the applicant that this scheme would not be supported. The applicant therefore intends to withdraw this application and won’t be pursuing it in this form.
“Many thanks to those residents who joined me in objecting to this.
“They may of course resubmit an application on this site in a different arrangement, however I’m clear this site is completely unsuitable for any scale of housing development and will therefore continue to object to any scheme submitted going forward.”
View the withdrawn plans here.
Please stop putting quotes in all capitals. It looks ridiculous and shouty.
I agree with Richard. The capitalisation of such a lengthy quote seems inappropriate and possibly looks like far more importance is given to that viewpoint. The suggestion of a different font to indicate the quotation is a good one.