Horsforth bar asks for outdoor seating plans to be made permanent

Banyan, on New Road Side, was allowed to put temporary outdoor seating and canopies up in May 2021, as hospitality businesses tried to recover after lockdown.

Concerns were raised at the time from residents about the prospect of noise and cars clogging up the surrounding streets, given the loss of the bar’s own parking space.

A total of six people and Leeds City Council’s own highways officers objected.

But permission was granted by the council’s planners for six months, with a 10pm curfew slapped on the use of the area.

Now, Banyan’s representatives say the pilot has been successful and has passed without receiving any complaints.

They now want to make the arrangement permanent.

In a statement submitted to the council this week, the applicants said the loss of parking space was not an issue as the car park had been “drastically underused” before the pandemic anyway.

They added: “The proposed seating area is considered to be of a high standard of design and appearance, whilst remaining sympathetic to the surrounding residential properties.

“It will transform the vacant and underused car park into a welcoming and attractive external seating areas to be enjoyed not just by local residents, but also members of the public visiting the (area).”

The statement also said permission would provide “certainty for the business moving forward” and offer a “valuable social contribution”.