Housebuilder close to Pool in Wharfedale win
Taylor Wimpey’s plans for 57 homes in the West Yorkshire village could finally advance after a five-year planning tussle, with reserved matters consent now recommended.
Leeds City Council’s south and west plans panel will next week consider the application.
Two other key items facing the committee are 50 homes from Leeds Federated Housing Association and Keyland in Pudsey – which is tipped to progress – and plans for a wedding venue and holiday lodges at Fleet Lane, Oulton, on which impressions are sought before a formal application is considered.
Taylor Wimpey’s proposal is the main item however. The housing giant wants to build 57 homes along with public open space on land south of Pool Road, a site where it has been in a tussle with LCC for some time.
An earlier version of the project was granted outline approval at appeal in 2018, at a time when a five-year housing supply could not be demonstrated.
Leeds unsuccessfully later tried to quash that decision, and subsequently refused reserved matters approval on five grounds. TW went to appeal, and although Leeds won, the planning inspector only upheld one of the reasons for refusal, relating to matters of appearance.
Reserved matters approval is now recommended by planning officers, who outline the discussions, negotiations and design changes made to the scheme in the intervening years, including the removal of a particular housing types – exterior housing materials have been a major point of discussion.
Despite this progress, the plans go before the panel because they were referred by two councillors seeking further examination of their conviction the gateway site should house “a flagship/marquee development”. There have also been 28 objections. Officers note that the applicant and one of the councillors have now met to discuss the project.
Should approval be granted, Taylor Wimpey intends to deliver 18 two- and 18 -three bedroom homes, and 21 four-bedroom dwellings. The scheme includes 20 affordable homes.
The plans can be viewed at 21/0498/RM on Leeds’ planning portal.
