Whitehall Road: Huge new 14-storey high car park to be built in Leeds city centre

The facility, which will be 14 storeys high, will be constructed on the banks of River Aire on Whitehall Road, where a ground-level car park currently sits. Town Centre Securities, who are behind the scheme, will also build three other blocks which will become either hotels or offices. One will be 11 storeys but the height of the other two is yet to be determined.

The plans had been staunchly opposed by residents living in the neighbouring Whitehall Waterfront flats. Their objections have centred around the potential height of one of the blocks – known as ‘Building 9′ – and fears it would overshadow them.

Although the developers had initially proposed the block be 14 storeys, that was later reduced to 11, in line with the height of the Whitehall Waterfront building. But with concerns still raging, the developers deferred any discussion about the height of that building ahead of Thursday’s meeting. Its scale will instead be decided by a council committee at a later date.

The multi-storey car park and one of the three blocks was given full planning permission, which means work can start on those immediately. The rest of the development was given outline permission in principle, meaning the finer details have to be approved later. Speaking afterwards, Waterfront resident and scheme objector Suzie Hardy said she was heartened the decision on the height of Building 9 had been delayed.

“We’re still fighting and we’re not going away,” she said.

“It feels like a very tactical move from the developers and it feels like we’ve been subjected to a foothold-and-crowbar approach, which is disappointing. But we’re not going away. We’ll keep fighting every step of the way. We’ve reached out to independent experts now to help support our case.” unslet and Riverside councillor Paul Wray, who has also objected to the application, said opposition was hamstrung by the fact the site has long been allocated for development.

But speaking after the meeting, he said the delay on deciding the scale of Building 9 showed the developer was conscious of the objections. Every planning application causes harm, but it’s about doing the best we can to mitigate that harm and trying to find a balance,” Labour’s Councillor Wray added.

The area’s Green Party councillor, Ed Carlisle said: “Today was perhaps the best result it could have been. All credit to the local residents, for standing up, putting the hours in, and holding this application up to scrutiny: without them, this would have passed through unquestioned.”

Throughout the process, Town Centre Securities have maintained the development will offer a high-quality regeneration of a brownfield site and that residents’ views have been taken on board.

They also insist that Building 9, whatever its height, will not overshadow Whitehall Waterfront. Councillors on Leeds’ city plans panel voted by five votes to one in favour of approving the application, with three abstaining.