Leeds Council approves new social housing block despite pleas for more family homes

A five-storey development with 58 apartments will be built on the derelict site of the former Yorkshire Riders Sports and Social Club, between Railway Street and Saxton Gardens.

But local councillors, who passed the application at a meeting on Thursday, were unhappy with the fact just five of the 58 properties will be three-beds, given the high demand for family properties in the social rented sector.

The applicants, the Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association, said it was unviable to build more family-sized flats into the development and insisted that demand for smaller apartments was very strong.

Although a report on the scheme outlined the council’s desire for a minimum of 20 per cent of the flats to be three-beds, this is a target and not a mandatory threshold.

Speaking at the meeting, Labour councillor for Kirkstall, Hannah Bithell said: “I get an awful lot of (correspondence for) three bed flats and it’s only getting worse.

“Personally I really struggle with the idea of putting something through that’s not going to meet the needs of people most at risk.”

But architect Gareth Jackson, who appeared on behalf of the applicants, said: “The scheme just wouldn’t stack up financially. It’s marginal in terms of viability now.

“Effectively increasing the number of three beds in the scheme wouldn’t be viable unfortunately.

“The rental loss would obviate the scheme unfortunately.”

Local resident David Mackie, who objected to the scheme, told the meeting he and other neighbours were “disappointed” by the plans.

He cited a lack of community facilities within the development, such as a gym, cafe or meeting room.

He said: “If there’d been a competition over what to do with one of the last remaining public spaces in Saxton Gardens, this would not have been the winning entry.”

The development was approved after councillors were told that rejecting the plans on concerns around the housing mix alone may not withstand an appeal, potentially costing the taxpayer thousands in legal fees.

Conservative councillor Ryan Stephenson said: “If we are to refuse this on the grounds we do want more three-bed properties, then the applicant is likely to appeal and I suspect the answer to that appeal will not go in our favour.”

He added: “In the housing crisis we’re looking at at present, I’m not sure I’d wish to have my name attached to refusing the opportunity to deliver more social housing where there is need.”

His Tory colleague Trish Smith said: “I think we’re selling our residents short with this, but I agree we’ve got our hands tied behind our back.”