Omnibus fate in Councillors’ hands

Councillors on the South & West Plans Panel will decide the fate of the former Omnibus pub in Middleton when they meet next Friday (16 June 2017).

The former Omnibus pub in Middleton

In a report to the panel, officers recommend approving the revised plans which would see the building converted into a 9 bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO). Residents have objected on the grounds of traffic, anti-social behaviour proximity to a primary school.

As South Leeds Life previously reported, the developer PCC (Yorkshire) Ltd originally proposed a 15 bed HMO in October 2016. These plans were rejected by planning officers at the council and that decision was backed by the Planning Inspectorate on appeal.

The current plans were submitted in March this year. 47 residents, including Mandi Wilson, Headteacher at Sharp Lane Primary School, have lodged objections to the plans and on the basis of this level of opposition Cllr Judith Blake asked for the case to go to Plans Panel.

Officers argue in their report that given the building was until recently a public house, issues of traffic and nusance are unlikely to deteriorate as a result of the development. Specifically they say:

“In response to concerns raised above relating to the proximity to the school, the type of people that may be housed and potential threat to amenity from anti-social behaviour these are matters that were assessed by the Inspector and found not to be matters that could be substantiated and the previous use as a public house was noted. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that the behaviour of the occupants of the HMO would be anti-social.”

The meeting of the South & West Plans Panel takes place on Friday 16 June at Leeds Civic Hall, starting at 1:30pm. You can read the full officer’s report here: http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/s161931/4-01174.pdf