Retail development next to Leeds United's Elland Road ground gets the green light

As previously reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Jacob Adler’s MBH Investments firm submitted a planning application last year to Leeds City Council for a new building that would be situated on an empty piece of land between the Old Peacock pub and a branch of Subway.

Now the application for the mainly single-storey development – due to comprise three retail units and a children’s day nursery with a roof garden – has been given approval.

A council report on the application reveals that five objections were made to the scheme, with one coming from United.

It is not clear from the report on what grounds the club originally said it was opposed to the application.

Explaining the decision by the council’s chief planning officer to recommend the approval of the scheme, the report says: “It is considered that the proposal will regenerate a vacant brownfield site, and result in economic investment and new jobs ... on a key strategic route.”

Leeds sold Elland Road to Mr Adler in 2004, with the Manchester businessman subsequently transferring the stadium’s deeds to a British Virgin Islands-based firm called Teak Commercial Limited.

Speaking in 2007, the club’s then chief executive Shaun Harvey said United had “no reason” to believe Teak’s owner was anyone other than Mr Adler.

The council is at present considering a follow-up application for the proposed use of one of the units in the development to be changed from retail to ‘hot food takeaway’.