Mabgate resi set for Leeds go-ahead
Cheyne Capital’s 300-apartment project will go before the council’s city plans panel next week with approval recommended.
Cheyne agreed a forward-purchase of the £80m development from HBD last year, after outline consent was secured for residential development.
Architect for the scheme is Leeds-based Cunniff Design, with Quod advising on planning, Turley on heritage and Ares on landscape architecture.
Although Mabgate is an area of focus for residential development in Leeds, the project is meeting with some resistance, almost entirely due to concerns over its proximity to the grade two-listed Hope Foundry at 69 Mabgate.
In all, 68 letters of objection have been lodged, a petition of 53 signatures gathered at an event at the Map Charity on the Foundry site, and a further 161 anonymous comments left, albeit without addresses, on a petition website. A question has also been raised over the hybrid decision being given under delegated powers, officers said.
Residents will have outdoor space in the Yard and Garden areas. Credit: planning documents
On the table is a reserved matters application for 71-73 Mabgate, Sheepscar, following sign-off for a hybrid application in October 2023.
The hybrid planning application established full consent for demolition of buildings and ground engineering, including site remediation, ground remodelling and temporary drainage works at the site.
It also allowed for external alterations to the northern elevation of the Hope Foundry entrance range to remediate the elevation, following the demolition of the adjoining building.
Outline consent was granted for up to 310 homes and a pub, wine bar or other leisure uses of up to 3,766 sq ft.
The applicant now proposes 302 build-to-rent apartments across the scheme’s three buildings, with the affordable homes requirement of 20% being met. Rents for these units will be set at 80% of the local market rate.
There will be 157 one-bedroom flats, 116 two-bedroom flats and 29 three-bedroom flats.
As set out in the planning officers’ report, the buildings would feature active frontages facing towards Mabgate and external amenity spaces named The Yard and The Garden. The Yard would be a courtyard space formed by the buildings and be the principal arrival space for residents. Residents will then cross this space to their own building entrances.
The Garden is situated to the north end of the site and will become a softer, greener landscape space that looks to provide a quiet corner and a route through from the Millwright development, time-restricted in line in line with the consent at that scheme. A car park will accommodate 17 vehicles.
The proposals, submitted through the MY DevCo vehicle c/o Aztec Financial Services, can be viewed on the Leeds planning portal with the reference 4/02803/RM.
