Hunslet residents cry foul over planning application

Residents on the Hunslet riverfront are crying foul over a proposed alteration to a planning application – requested by a property developer – which will see them miss out for the second time on having a neighbourhood shop; the deadline to comment on the application is Monday 18 May (2020). (Click here, then search for: 20/01957/LI.)

Victoria Mill is a former flax mill, and part of a cluster of listed iconic buildings off Goodman Street, on the Hunslet riverfront. It became derelict in the 1980s, and was deemed ‘at risk’ by Historic England – until 2017, when JM Construction got permission to convert it into 327 flats (with the total number of flats on the combined site at 425).

The plan also crucially featured planning permission for a retail unit – a commitment that local residents (especially at the neighbouring H2010 development) were delighted to see. The H2010 plans had also originally featured shops, but these had been scrapped at a late stage during the development stage, and replaced with extra houses. This new planning change would leave the neighbourhood – which will feature up to 900 homes once the new development is complete – without any regular retail stores within half a mile.

The developers have argued that there’s been no interest from retailers in taking the unit, and asked to convert the space into an extra seven flats – but residents and stakeholders (including Leeds Civic Trust and Cllr Paul Wray) have reacted angrily. Online comments have included allegations that the developers are “playing the system”, “greedy”, and “only interested in profits”; some have suggested that this is “a proper bait-and-switch” (where people are enticed with promises of amenities to buy or rent properties, then let down); and other allegations such as the developer playing around with numbers of flats, to downplay the demand.

Dozens of comments (almost all of them objections) have been submitted on the Council’s online Planning Portal; to find out more about the application, and to comment, click here (then search for reference number: 20/01957/LI). The deadline to do so is midnight on Monday 18 May (2020).

5 Replies to “Hunslet residents cry foul over planning application”

  1. Thought sadly missed on the article, but of significance on planning matters, on behalf of the local Hunslet and Riverside Cllrs, I’ve also objeced to the planning application. The area need a local grocery type store.

  2. Thanks Paul, good point, not deliberate, have now amended the article accordingly. Best wishes.

  3. Just out of interest Anybody know who the architect is. That designed the old application and the new plans?
    If its who I think it is you have no chance of the planning taking notice of objections.

  4. I agree there should be a local retail outlet. But
    Is there interest from a potential retailer?

    1. Hi Jay. Judging by comments from residents, there is a scepticism as to whether the developer really tried – it is after all in their interests *not* to find any interest, and convert to extra flats. They seem keen to force the developer’s hand to include a retailer. If the rent on the unit is cheap enough, someone will move in. Ed

Comments are closed.