First residential phase at £400m development approved

Plans for the first phase of residential development at the £400m Kirkstall Forge scheme in Leeds have been given the green light.Leeds City Council’s South and West Plans Panel resolved to grant planning permission for CEG’s reserved matters (detailed) application last week (28 January 2021).Planning permission is sought for a total of 213 residential units, comprising a mix of houses and apartments.A total of 77 three- to five-bedroom family houses, designed by Stirling Prize-winner Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, will be created.Just north of the river, two apartment buildings are also proposed, each set over nine floors with upper floors set back. Designed by residential architecture practice Cartwright Pickard, they will provide 136 studios to three-bed apartments with 14,500 sq ft of leisure and retail space on the ground floor.They will be set around amenity space, a new public plaza and pocket park, which would be used for events and activities.A report from council officers had recommended approval be granted and stated that the development would “provide residential units of architectural merit and detail”. Work is expected to commence later this year.CEG previously secured reserved matters approval for 135 homes in 2019 and, as part of that permission, constructed two prototype homes. These will be thoroughly tested by the team once Covid-19 permits.This new application leaves the housing design unchanged, but by removing four of the homes, this has enabled the two apartment buildings to be redesigned. Slightly taller, with upper floors set back to minimise the visual effect, more apartments will be created. These, and the green spaces and public plaza, are set to be managed by the on-site Forge Life team.A team of Yorkshire consultants supported the reserved matters application, including Lichfields, Pierre Angulaire, Richard Boothroyd Associates, Curtins, Bryan G Hall and Hoare Lea.Ultimately, Kirkstall Forge will provide up to 1,450 new homes, 300,000 sq ft of offices and 100,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and community space.