Plans for 450 new homes on Churwell farm site deemed acceptable by Leeds Council officers

A reserved matters application from Persimmon Homes for the site off Victoria Road in Churwell had gone before the authority’s City Plans Panel back in July, but concerns around drainage issues and the future site for a school led councillors to defer a decision.

But according to a document published this week, work has since been done to give the council more information, and planning officers are recommending the panel now approves the plans in principle.

The development would be made up of 23 two bed apartments, eight two bed bungalows, 102 two bed semi/terrace houses, 125 three bed semi/terrace houses, 84 three bed detached and 108 four bed semi/terrace/detached houses.

The site would also contain a 1.8 hectare area of land for a primary school to be built in the future.

The document, set to be discussed by the panel next week, claims the overall drainage strategy has “been confirmed to be acceptable”, and meets requirements of the council’s core strategy planning document.

Back in July, councillors expressed concerns that the proposed school site was in a difficult location for traffic, and were concerned that no commitment had been made by anyone to actually build the school.

But the new report claims that a new school isn’t even needed in that area.

It added: “At present the school is not required based on current population/ growth that has been forecasted, however, this may change in the future.

“The developer and the education authority have worked together to ensure that sufficient space is provided for a future school and to ensure that the site is the most practical for all future users.

“The developer has gone beyond what has been required from other developers in the past, to ensure that the road around the school is of sufficient width to accommodate school traffic and, to ensure that a network of wide pedestrian/ cycle ways can be provided linking the school with the wider site and Victoria Road/ Elland Road.

“The proposal is considered to be policy compliant in terms of education provision, subject to the proposal being subjected to a condition requiring interim details of how the site will be finished.”

The document concluded: “The applicant has provided various supporting information to ensure that the concerns raised by panel members have been addressed.

“The supporting information further supports the original recommendation that the proposal does represent a sustainable form of development, which is of a high design quality.

“With consideration being given to all other matters, the additional information provided is considered to be more than sufficient enough to alleviate the concerns raised by panel members.”

Members of the committee will meet on Thursday, October 28 to discuss the report.

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