- Moderator
- #4,701
The agenda and the report for the meeting on the 11th has been published. And I've done a copy and paste see below for details
INTRODUCTION
- Members will recall that the planning application was submitted to City Plans Panel on the 11th February. (previous report attached) Members were minded to approve in principle, subject to the conditions in the submitted report and subject to further conditions and/or obligations relating to a number of matters, raised at the meeting being addressed. These further matters were to be considered by Panel prior to a final determination on the application being made.
- In relation to conditions, as set out in the Minutes (agreed at City Plans Panel on 25th February), the issues that were raised by Members are summarised as follows:
- Future of/ demolition of the existing terminal building
- Linking of the new terminal delivery, to the commencement of changes to the light regime Page 11
- Level of Contribution to the new railway station and public transport enhancements
- Positioning of Taxi rank in relation to new terminal
- Charging for taxis using new terminal
- Extent of landscaping and mature/semi mature tree planting
- Review of cycle paths to, from and through the airport
- Further off site highway measures – contributions to Horsforth Roundabout/ Dyneley Arms improvements
- Improvements to carbon offsetting in terms of planting beyond the airport boundary
- Increase in the employee transport modal shift percentage
View attachment 23028
- Following the City Plans Panel meeting on the 11th February, Officers have worked with the applicant to address the matters raised by the Panel. The applicant has now considered Members requests and their comments in relation to each of the requests are set out below.
- Each of these issues in turn is dealt with as follows: Future off/demolition of existing terminal
- The applicant has committed to all of the Airports operations being net zero by the time the new terminal building is open to passengers. This net zero carbon commitment does already include the existing terminal building and the existing terminal building has been included in the calculations. Therefore the presence of the existing building should not impact on the ability of the Airport to meet its overall net zero commitment.
- The applicant wishes to redevelop the existing terminal as soon as practicable upon completion of the replacement terminal. The existing terminal will not be used by passengers which is restricted in the proposed s106 agreement. The s106 agreement will also not allow the extension which was approved in 2018 to be constructed.
- However, the existing terminal building houses some of the Airports critical operations and will need to remain operational, as they are not included in the new terminal building and are integral in order for LBA to operate safely and maintain its aerodrome licence.
- These include
- The Air Traffic Control Tower
- The Fire Station
- Critical IT, communications, security, safety and mechanical and electrical infrastructure that currently and in the future, will serve the wider Airport until this area is redeveloped as part of the masterplan
- The existing LBA management offices
- Jets2’s staff offices
- In responding to the Panel’s comments regarding the relationship of the old terminal in relation to the new, the applicant will commit to (as part of the planning consent) to demolish check in Hall B), Jet 2 baggage hall and passengers handling facilities, within 6 months following the opening of the replacement terminal. This would therefore significantly reduce the overall footprint of the existing buildings and Page 12 structures. For clarity, the extent of that part of the building to be demolished is shown on the plan below (area shown in red) and amounts to approximately 20% of the terminal building footprint. This building is a later addition and is relatively straight forward to remove without effecting the operation of the rest of the terminal.
- The remainder of the building was constructed as a single building unit, making it difficult for partial demolition, whilst retaining the above operations, utilities and uses. However, in order to address any future concerns, the applicant has committed to work closely with the City Council on a master planning exercise regarding the existing terminal building and the surrounding part of LBA’s estate which may include a programme for the progressive de-commissioning and demolition for the remainder of the existing terminal
- This master planning commitments can be secured via a planning condition (or a section 106 agreement if it is considered necessary) and would be agreeable to progressing and concluding this by the time of the opening of the replacement terminal.
- The redevelopment of this area is indicative at this stage and has not been fully market tested and cannot be so until there is clarify on when the new replacement terminal will come forward, which can only take place once planning consent has been granted. It would not be sustainable or in the interests of a circular economy to demolish the building entirely without a full understanding of the form of the demolition, de-commissioning or any potential future redevelopment.
- The masterplan would have to include uses that are existing plus complementary and ancillary functions to the airport operations and would be dealt with through future planning applications.
Linking of the new terminal delivery to the commencement of changes to the flight regime
- At the time of the initial planning application submission, the applicant proposed that the new day time flight regime would be introduced upon the granting of planning consent. In response to Panel Members comments to the Position Statement (25th September 2020, City Plans Panel), this was changed, so they would only come into effect as part of the delivery of the terminal, which at the time was proposed to be commencement of development.
- The applicant recognise and respect Members request that they do not wish for the new flight controls to be introduce without the guarantee of the delivery of the benefits of the new terminal.
- However, it is necessary for the flight regime to be introduced during the construction of the new terminal, given that the construction is expected to take 24 months and the airport needs to negotiate and confirm new route contracts in advance of opening.
- Developing and negotiating new routes is a complex process including evaluation of new routes, allocation of potential aircraft, marketing of routes and lead time for the new route to be marketed and on sale before it becomes operational. It is therefore important for the applicant to have some flexibility in the delivery of the new routes, as the replacement terminal is under construction.
- In order to provide this flexibility and to provide safeguards against the effect of the greater level of activity at the Airport, within the necessary infrastructure being in place including the terminal, there is already proposed to be a condition which prevents the airport from exceeding 5mppa before the new terminal opening. Notwithstanding this position, the applicants are agreeable to the changes to the flight controls, only taking effect upon the substantial completion of the development i.e. not the commencement of development as previously stated. The building works for the terminal should take approximately 24 months so a condition is attached to state that the new flight regime cannot commence until half way through the building programme which is likely to be around 12 months.
Level of Contribution to the new railway station and public transport enhancements
- As Members will recall from the previous panel report the new terminal does not require the new rail station to meet its surface and carbon access strategies. However the applicant states that they are strongly committed to assisting in the delivery of a rail station (Parkway Station), which will bring improved access to this part of the District and improved access to the City Centre and elsewhere (via the provision of a Park and Ride facility).
- The application includes the delivery of a bus route link to the station through the airports land and beyond to the proposed North West employment hub. The airport will be providing this land to be used for the link at no financial cost. There will also be the provision in perpetuity, of an electric shuttle bus between the new rail station and the Airport. In terms of the land that the airport is providing for the bus route link, it has been shown that its existing use land value (which is currently car parking) is £2.88 million.
- In terms of the shuttle bus, the applicants will supply two vehicles at £120,000pa with tyre and maintenance costs of £5,600pa with the service being every 20-30 minutes. The staffing costs for this 20-30 min loop service is £110,000pa so an annual cost of £235,000pa.
- This service if provided at 20 years with a standard price increase over these years will amount of a £1.86m overall cost.
- This is in addition to the financial contribution of £1.5m to the station itself and a sum of £80k towards improvements on Scotland Lane. There is a further £125k from an extant s106 agreement which could be used for any other form of works which the City Council considers appropriate and linked to the development. This £125k is not specific to the railway station though, as it could be utilised on other off site highway works that are required.
- In total all these works amount to £6.32m and the applicants consider that overall this is a significant and positive contribution and as a consequence, it is unnecessary from a planning perspective to increase the level of support for the train station to make the development acceptable and nor would it be fairly or reasonably related to the scale and kind to do so.
Positioning of Taxi rank in relation to new terminal and charging for taxis using new terminal
- Currently the airport allows any taxi or private hire vehicle to access for the purpose of collecting or dropping off customers via the free 1 hour car parking or the short term drop off area close to the existing terminal entrance for a nominal charge. However, taxis are restricted from using the free 1 hour car parking for multiple visits within the same hour, unless a fee is paid.
- LBA currently has a contract with a designated private hire company to provide services to the airport. Under this contract, the company has agreement with the airport to provide access for their private hire vehicles direct to the airport forecourt. The applicants have therefore stated it would not be equitable to then permit any taxi or private hire vehicles free access to the same area as the official private hire company.
- However, the applicants recognise that taxi access will be one of the range of options of access to the Airport for those who may find public transport less convenient. In response to Members request and to ensure appropriate access to the Airport is available to all taxi and private hire operators, the applicant propose to permit all (non-official airport) taxis and private hire vehciles to have unrestricted access to the 1 hour free car park, This would allow multiple trips within the same hour. This will necessitate taxis and private hire vehicles pre registering their number plates and providing their Leeds City Council taxi operating licence to LBA.
- This will be implemented upon the opening off the terminal and will be available to all taxi and private hire operators. After two years from the terminal opening, the facility will be limited to vehicles that are hybrid, full electric or use other sustainable Page 15 fuel sources to align with the Council’s policy of encouraging the switch to sustainable taxi fleet within the City.
Extent of landscaping and mature/semi mature tree planting
- The application includes a substantial tree planting scheme throughout the curtilage of the proposals, as well as off airport planting within the biodiversity area with 25,000 trees. The scheme includes the following measures:
- Landscape proposals within operational curtilage of the airport
- Standard trees – comprises selected standards to extra heavy standards -2.5m to 4.5m in height – 347 trees -
- Structure planting (14,500 sqm) – comprising 50% feathered trees at 1.5m in height – 7,250 trees -
- Native hedgerow planting (3,300 sqm) comprising 45% whips at 0.8 – 1m in height – 1,485 trees
- Biodiversity enhancement area
- Scattered standard trees – comprising selected standards to extra heavy standards 2.5m to 4.5m in height – 98 trees
- New broadleaved woodland – at a typical density of 0.5/m2 comprising 66% trees, 25% of which are feathered (1.5m in height) – 4,000 no trees as well as 75% whips (0.8-1m) – 12,000 trees.
- In addition to this, the applicants are agreeable to a financial contribution towards planting of 2Ha (to provide for up to 10,000 no trees) of mass whip woodland planting on land in the City Council’s control, to the sum of £30k to be controlled by an s106 agreement.
- It is important for members to note that whilst these will be planted as whips, the growth rates of such will mean they will become quickly well established. After the first season, it can reasonably be expected that the whips will add around 0.5m per annum after the first season of establishment. On that basis a height of 2.5m+ by year 5 and a reasonably dense canopy forming (dependent on planting density) is expected. A semi mature woodland of trees approaching 5m+ in height (dependent on species) and requiring its first thinning, would therefore be established by year 10, i.e. at the general point in time when the Airport is expected to be achieving 7mppa.
Review of cycle paths to, from and through the airport
- There will be improvements to the cycle links within the vicinity of the airport including funding cycle links from Victoria Road along the western part of Whitehouse Lane, with cycle lanes provided within the car park linking Whitehouse Lane to the new terminal.
- The applicant is committed through the planning application to provide an extended cycle path along Whitehouse lane as part of the future masterplan redevelopment of the existing terminal with a backstop that if the masterplan does not come forward within 3 years of the new terminal opening LBA will introduce the extended cycle link. The cost of this work is approximately £300k and the applicant is prepared to pay the full costs for this work.
- The applicant is now agreeable to bringing forward an extended link alongside Whitehouse Lane by the time of opening of the new terminal.
Further off site highway measures – contributions to Horsforth Roundabout/ Dyneley Arms improvements
- The transport assessment and subsequent addendums consider the impacts on those two locations and show that the highway impacts on those two junctions do not warrant highway mitigation.
- If the with development as opposed to without development by 2030 is considered for both these junctions these are the proposed additional movements Dyneley Arms – 18 (am peak hour) 48 (PM peak hour) Horsforth Roundabout 1 (AM peak hour) 34 (PM peak hour)
- Whilst the concerns raised are appreciated, it is considered that these movements are not of sufficient magnitude in themselves, to expect the development to make such a direct impact on these junctions. It has to be borne in mind that the peak travel to and from the airport is not within the peak times at these two locations.
Improvements to carbon offsetting in terms of planting beyond the airport boundary
- As stated above the applicant is willing to fund off site tree planting to the value of £30,000. As emphasised above it is hoped they will be established and approaching 5m in height once the airport is reaching its 7mppa.
Increase in the employee transport modal shift percentage
- 42 The airport have reviewed the modal shift target and consider that the proposed ambitious target of, airport employee access by non-single car modes of 30% and 20% of the non-airport employees, are realistic and acceptable in planning terms.
- These targets are ambitious and represent a significant increase in the number of employees who will travel to the airport by non-single occupancy of car.
- At the time of the latest full employee survey (2019), there were 2,770 on site airport employees, comprising 690 airport employees and 2,080 non airport employees. Of these 23.6% of the airport employees and 17.4% of the non-airport employees travelled to work other than in a single occupancy vehicle.
- The measures for 30% of airport employees and 20% of non-airport employees not travelling to work via single occupancy of a car will start when the airports meets it 2023 zero carbon objective.
- This ensures that the number of daily on site employee trips to work other than the single occupancy of car increases from 424 in 2019 to 803 by the time the airport has achieved its throughput of 7mppa almost doubling.
REPRESENTATIONS
- Since the last Panel report there have been a further two further objections and two further supports to the scheme
- No new issues have been raised that were in the original report except some additional suggested conditions which cover matters already covered in the conditions or are not considered necessary by officers .
- There has also been a representation from Outer North West Community Committee stating the conditions they would wish to be considered which includes
- Future/demolition of existing terminal – any change in use should be carbon neutral which should require planning permission with community consultation -
- Any change in flight times cannot take place until completion and operational start of the new terminal.
- There should be an increased financial contribution to the rail link station
- Airport provide a shuttle bus
- Airport contribute to the upgrade of the highway the shuttle bus will use
- Contribution to a future proof method of getting passengers from the airport from the rail link ie travellator
- Will work with local councillors on measures required on Scotland Lane
- Increased contribution to surrounding major junctions
- Commitment to free drop off and pick up for all taxis within the vicinity of the airport
- Should be one area of land for landscaping found and paid for by the airport which should be semi mature trees and planted before terminal opens
- Cycle paths should be usable, marked out and kept safe
- Committed quiet time in the night when there shall be no flights and when technology allows low noise aircraft to be used at night
CONCLUSION
- This report has provided further information and conclusions in responding to the issues raised by the Panel, regarding the specific planning conditions, summarised at the start of this report. Members will be aware that this application has already been approved in principle subject to the above matters being considered and satisfactorily resolved. These are the only matters that Members should be considering at this stage.
- Members should also bear in mind that officers considered that the scheme was acceptable in all matters as outlined in the previous report (attached) and the scheme has now additional contributions over and above what was previously reported.
- Members should also note that the imposition of conditions has to meet six tests which are
- Necessary
- Relevant to planning
- Relevant to the development to be permitted
- Enforceable
- Precise
- Reasonable in all other respects.
- In terms of planning obligations these should only be sought where they meet all the following tests -
- Necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms
- Directly related to the development and
- Firly and reasonably related
- Officers recommend that the application be approved, subject to consultation with the Secretary of State, the draft conditions and a Section 106 agreement detailed within the 11th February and this report.
