Planning application 22/07648/FU
At its Meeting on 13 May 2024
the Steering Committee of the Oulton and Woodlesford Neighbourhood Forum
resolved to STRONGLY SUPPORT this application on the grounds that it
complies with the provisions of the Oulton the Woodlesford Neighbourhood Plan
("Made" December 2021).
Greatly enhancing the local
area, not only removing substantial blight, the proposed development
significantly improves the green environment, brings considerable new
employment, new economic opportunities and important leisure and recreational
facilities.
In particular, references in the
Plan relevant to this site are:
Key Objectives
1. To encourage development of all forms that is
sustainable in terms of its impact upon
the natural and built environments, the community and the
local economy
3. To develop new facilities for the community that meet
currently un-met needs and that are run for and serve the local community
5. To maintain and develop our highly prized green
infrastructure assets, including parklands and the canal/river corridor
Policy
BE1 New business and employment development
Appropriate proposals which encourage the development of a
local visitor/tourism economy, particularly in the Aire and Calder
Navigation/River Aire Corridor, are welcomed
It is understood that the
Council is, in our opinion, wrongly minded to refuse this application as the,
outdated, core strategy designates the Wharf for continued industrial use. No
such use, either for oil or aggregates, is economically viable nor desirable.
While the Council recognise this, there appears to be no mechanism to update
their strategy to reflect the reality, nor any recommendation to Panel to
consider approval due to changed circumstances not reflected in core strategy.
The Council have established an
inland port for aggregates and approved another port near to this site, close
to the motorway, that render this site redundant. Furthermore, it is recognised
that the site is inappropriate for high volume aggregate use due to the
unsuitability of the local road network for HGVs, and furthermore, the Council’s Leeds Local Plan 2040 Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report specifically disregards this minor site entirely when considering aggregate wharfs,
not even calculating theoretical usage volumes.
It is also understood that the
Council's consultees have reservations regarding:
Loss of employment – The site currently offers no
employment. The scheme provides great opportunities for local employment,
creating a significant number of jobs. The Council do not recognise jobs within
the leisure industry as employment. As such, there is no loss of employment as
stated, the opposite is true.
Impact on Green Belt – The site is currently a brown
field industrial eyesore. Any use for aggregates would only serve to increase
the blight on the surrounding green environment. The proposed development will
be a vast visual improvement on the previous oil depot and current eyesore. The
owners have already spent a considerable amount to decontaminate the land,
demonstrating their commitment, and the proposal returns much of the site to
green space for public use.
Protected Wharf – Although previously designated,
plans have been superseded and new more suitable facilities established and
approved. Clearly the wharf was not viable as an oil depot and is equally not
viable for aggregate use, as concluded by the Council’s own report. Any
enforced use of the wharf for aggregates would be to the great detriment of the
residents of Oulton due to the high (est >180pd) number of vehicle (HGV)
movements required to be economically viable. We believe the aggregate business
at Knostrop Wharf inland port is only viable due to subsidies, something the
Council have not refuted when asked.
“As a commercial waterway, it
will never be financially self-supporting and will always need financial
assistance, as private investment is not going to be able to achieve the
required levels of returns given the relatively low margins associated with aggregates.
However, what it can deliver in environmental gains is massive and should not
be underestimated. Grant money will be required and the use of public funds is
considered essential to ensure this long-term asset is able to be delivered.”
Ref: WYCA CA1611 21 December 2022
The Forum considers that this
proposal would be a high quality asset to the area, which should be welcomed by
the Council.
