Victorian villa homes plan

Following previous rejected plans to develop Spenfield House, Round Strategies Limited has applied to partly demolish and convert the Grade II-listed building off Otley Road.

The work would create six apartments and a studio flat in the main house and seven terraced homes on the car park of the building.

Councillors will meet at 1.30pm in Civic Hall today to consider the proposals.

Planners recommend that approval is deferred to Leeds’s chief planning officer Tim Hill.

This is until an agreement is made with the developer to 
contribute more than £48,000 for off-site greenspace and £6,700 towards sustainable travel.

A report drafted for the meeting states the house is “an outstanding example of its type, and is Grade II Listed, putting it in the top 10 per cent of Listed Buildings nationally.”

The Gothic Revival house was designed by Grand Theatre architect George Corsons and built between 1875-1877.

The developer said: “We consider that in principle the proposals represent an acceptable conversion of Spenfield House, respecting important features of the building, minimising interventions and providing a realistic and sustainable future for the building.”

Objector Suzanne Grace said: “The local authority shouldn’t have to choose between flats and dereliction. Let Spenfield be a leading light in Leeds’ campaign to be European Capital of Culture 2023. A Sistine Chapel of the North!”