Councillors have voted to approve part of the controversial plans for the former Leeds Girls High School site.
They agreed to support the two applications to convert the Victorian listed Rose Court building into 12 apartments. They said they would refuse the other three applications connected to the site.
But the decision was largely academic as the future of the whole of the South Headingley former school site is in the hands of an independent planning inquiry which will take place next year.
The panel's decision will now form the backbone of the council's case at the public inquiry.
Developers, The Morley House Trust, wants to build more than 100 apartments and townhouses on the site but have faced fierce opposition from people living in the area. The trust recently secured a planning inquiry based on the council's previous failure to make a decision on the five applications for the school site.
Yesterday members of Leeds council's plans panel (west) were asked to decide how they would have voted on the applications during the previous meeting in November if they had not had not deferred the matter. At the time councillors had voted to oppose the applications and ask council officers to come back with reasons for refusal.
Backbone of case at public inquiry
Yesterday councillors had to decide if they would grant permission to convert and extend the old, main school building into 32 apartments and four townhouses, convert the newer school building into 51 townhouses, build a further 15 new apartments and convert the Victorian listed building, Rose Court into a further 12 apartments.
Residents are angry that the playing fields around the site could be lost in order to accommodate the new apartments and councillor Mick Coulson
(Labour, Pudsey) was incredulous at the suggestion that local children could travel up to the new fields in Alwoodley to order play. He said:
"If the children of Headingley want to go and play, their parents had better pack a bag for them and not expect to see them home again for a couple of days as that is how long it will take them to get there and back."
In November, councillors said they had no objection to the
restoration and renovation of Rose Court but, as the entire plan, including the
use of the playing fields and the new builds, had to be voted on
collectively the matter was deferred.
Today councillors agreed to vote separately on different aspects of the application, which led to them approving the proposals for Rose Court but voting against all other aspects of the plans.
What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.
Guest blogger Sarah Carmody is a journalism student at Trinity University College in Horsforth.
