Decision due on plans for new community of 1,100 homes in Leeds

OUTLINE plans for a new community of up to 1,100 homes on a former opencast coalmining site in the Aire Valley regeneration area of east Leeds have been recommended for approval at a planning meeting tomorrow.

Templegate Developments Ltd wants to build on land at Skelton Gate to the east of junction 45 of the M1 in the Aire Valley near Temple Newsam in east Leeds.

The plans on the land south of Pontefract Lane include a new primary school, community centre and food store.

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A report to tomorrow’s (Thurs Dec 8) meeting of Leeds City Council’s plans panel recommends the outline plans are delegated to the chief planning officer for approval.

The scheme would have to be referred to the secretary of state as the site is designated as employment and not housing land in Leeds City Council’s Unitary Development Plan.

Templegate Developments, a partnership of Evans Property Group and Keyland Developments, would have to comply with a section 106 agreement which includes contributions of more than £3m for a new primary school at the site and provsion of land for the primary school and a secondary through school.

A meeting of Leeds City Council’s city plans panel in September was told building work on a food store and community centre is not proposed to start until 2021, with work on a school not scheduled until 2026.

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The report concludes: “The proposal would be of significant benefit to the wider area, creating much needed housing and employment opportunities as well as regenerating a former colliery site. The Skelton Gate site is positioned in an important strategic location adjacent to a key eastern route and gateway into the city.”

Peter Garrett, managing director of Keyland Developments, said; “This strategic site has the capacity to make a significant and much-needed contribution to Leeds City Council’s housing requirement for the Aire Valley area of Leeds by bringing a vacant site back into use as a new community.

“In addition to delivering a thousand new homes and a new school with associated community benefits, the development would bring about in excess of 500 construction and operational jobs.”