Hundreds of new homes planned in two blocks of flats near Leeds city centre

Early plans for two tower blocks housing 463 homes on land off Whitehall Road at Wortley went before Leeds City Council’s city plans panel on Thursday.

The proposal includes two buildings of 17 and 21 storeys, as well as car parking and landscaping.

But councillors were concerned with the proposed size of some of the studio flats in the buildings.

Coun Denise Ragan (Lab) said she was concerned with the size of the studio flats, adding: “We don’t want people living in rabbit hutches.”

A spokesman for the applicant responded that the application had to take affordability into account, and that the application would “bring a quality of life and way of living not seen before”.

He added: “It will allow a much more wider lifestyle demographics to enjoy build-to let schemes.”

Coun Neil Walshaw (Lab) said: “There is an awful lot of good in this application. You are really close to a scheme that I could wholeheartedly support.”

Developers BAM Monk Bridge Ltd are expected to submit a full application in due course.