Car Park closures

[chameleon]

This BBC story is rather in keeeping with thoughts here about trade in the city centre -'White Rose shopping centre expansion approved' The centre currently has more than 100 shops and 4,800 parking spaces Plans to expand a Leeds shopping centre have been approved by councillors.The extra 3,900 sq m (42,000 sq ft) of floorspace will include extensions to the Next, Primark and Marks and Spencer stores at the White Rose centre.It will also allow for further restaurants and cafes at the Dewsbury Road centre.The planning application, which drew objections from Morley Town Council and a local resident, was approved by Leeds City Council's plans panel east.The town council said "national policy restricting growth of out-of-town shopping centres must be upheld to maintain its purpose of protecting city centres and designated town and direct centres, such as Morley".A letter from a nearby resident to the city council expressed concerns that the centre was too dependent upon cars and the extension would increase levels of traffic even further.Planning officers had recommended to the panel that the application be approved.A report to councillors said the extension would lead to more retail space being created away from the city centre but backing the plan would allow the council to regulate future development at the centre.

[tyke bhoy]

Judging by this http://openlylocal.com/documents/28548- ... 010-1-30PM the planning permission was approved some time ago but was subject to recommencement of the Trinity Project

[Reginal Perrin]

chameleon wrote: This BBC story is rather in keeeping with thoughts here about trade in the city centre -'White Rose shopping centre expansion approved' The centre currently has more than 100 shops and 4,800 parking spaces Plans to expand a Leeds shopping centre have been approved by councillors.The extra 3,900 sq m (42,000 sq ft) of floorspace will include extensions to the Next, Primark and Marks and Spencer stores at the White Rose centre.It will also allow for further restaurants and cafes at the Dewsbury Road centre.The planning application, which drew objections from Morley Town Council and a local resident, was approved by Leeds City Council's plans panel east.The town council said "national policy restricting growth of out-of-town shopping centres must be upheld to maintain its purpose of protecting city centres and designated town and direct centres, such as Morley".A letter from a nearby resident to the city council expressed concerns that the centre was too dependent upon cars and the extension would increase levels of traffic even further.Planning officers had recommended to the panel that the application be approved.A report to councillors said the extension would lead to more retail space being created away from the city centre but backing the plan would allow the council to regulate future development at the centre. OK so the Trafford Centre and Meadowhall have vastly superior facilities so the shopping centre is seen as a leisure destination and we get an extension to Primark and M&S. Beauty.I don't think this alone will bring them flocking.Don't suppose they will consider a train station, a cinema and a small "market" type area will they? To actually make the place interesting rather than the massive collection of dull high street giants it is now.

[slw]

Another car park which I believe has closed down is the small one behind Bibi's (not the NCP or the multi storey but the smaller one where the garage used to be?) We used to park there on a weekend as at £3 or £4 for the day it was cheaper than commuting on the bus or train.

[cnosni]

Reginal Perrin wrote: chameleon wrote: This BBC story is rather in keeeping with thoughts here about trade in the city centre -'White Rose shopping centre expansion approved' The centre currently has more than 100 shops and 4,800 parking spaces Plans to expand a Leeds shopping centre have been approved by councillors.The extra 3,900 sq m (42,000 sq ft) of floorspace will include extensions to the Next, Primark and Marks and Spencer stores at the White Rose centre.It will also allow for further restaurants and cafes at the Dewsbury Road centre.The planning application, which drew objections from Morley Town Council and a local resident, was approved by Leeds City Council's plans panel east.The town council said "national policy restricting growth of out-of-town shopping centres must be upheld to maintain its purpose of protecting city centres and designated town and direct centres, such as Morley".A letter from a nearby resident to the city council expressed concerns that the centre was too dependent upon cars and the extension would increase levels of traffic even further.Planning officers had recommended to the panel that the application be approved.A report to councillors said the extension would lead to more retail space being created away from the city centre but backing the plan would allow the council to regulate future development at the centre. OK so the Trafford Centre and Meadowhall have vastly superior facilities so the shopping centre is seen as a leisure destination and we get an extension to Primark and M&S. Beauty.I don't think this alone will bring them flocking.Don't suppose they will consider a train station, a cinema and a small "market" type area will they? To actually make the place interesting rather than the massive collection of dull high street giants it is now. At one point it was mooted that the White Rose was actually going to apply for some sort of town/village status so it could have a post office.If they are making Next,Primark and MS bigger then surely this is eating into the current car park?

[raveydavey]

Reginal Perrin wrote: chameleon wrote: This BBC story is rather in keeeping with thoughts here about trade in the city centre -'White Rose shopping centre expansion approved' The centre currently has more than 100 shops and 4,800 parking spaces Plans to expand a Leeds shopping centre have been approved by councillors.The extra 3,900 sq m (42,000 sq ft) of floorspace will include extensions to the Next, Primark and Marks and Spencer stores at the White Rose centre.It will also allow for further restaurants and cafes at the Dewsbury Road centre.The planning application, which drew objections from Morley Town Council and a local resident, was approved by Leeds City Council's plans panel east.The town council said "national policy restricting growth of out-of-town shopping centres must be upheld to maintain its purpose of protecting city centres and designated town and direct centres, such as Morley".A letter from a nearby resident to the city council expressed concerns that the centre was too dependent upon cars and the extension would increase levels of traffic even further.Planning officers had recommended to the panel that the application be approved.A report to councillors said the extension would lead to more retail space being created away from the city centre but backing the plan would allow the council to regulate future development at the centre. OK so the Trafford Centre and Meadowhall have vastly superior facilities so the shopping centre is seen as a leisure destination and we get an extension to Primark and M&S. Beauty.I don't think this alone will bring them flocking.Don't suppose they will consider a train station, a cinema and a small "market" type area will they? To actually make the place interesting rather than the massive collection of dull high street giants it is now. There is a tale that the developers of the White Rose offered to include a station, or provision thereof, in the original planning application to help ease it through, but it was rejected by whoever was running the railways that week as being too close to Cottingley station and because it would interfere with paths for the express trains on the line. It seems like madness to me that they didn't incorporate a station (perhaps in a loop so stopping trains could be kept out of the way, with a requirement for park and ride. That would probably render the station at Cottingley as surplus to requirements, but the overall gains would have been massive.And I love how the council have now given planning for an extension to the White Rose which will only attract more people out of town to the free parking, on the grounds it will enable them to "regulate future development"????? Anyone know what that means?

[tyke bhoy]

Definitely eating into the car park. Transport Infra structure basically restricts extension to the site. The Huddersfield line to the south and Dewsbury Road/Ring Road to the north prevent much extension of car parking in those directions and there is a hush hush office park to the West which basically only leaves the "brown-field" scrap yard to the east as the only plausible horizontal extension. Vertical extensions may be possible but will be limited

[tyke bhoy]

raveydavey wrote: And I love how the council have now given planning for an extension to the White Rose which will only attract more people out of town to the free parking, on the grounds it will enable them to "regulate future development"????? Anyone know what that means? My interpretation on that is from the link I posted. I think from that link internal adjustments that previously would not have been subject to planning permission have been surrendered such that they now will.

[cnosni]

tyke bhoy wrote: Definitely eating into the car park. Transport Infra structure basically restricts extension to the site. The Huddersfield line to the south and Dewsbury Road/Ring Road to the north prevent much extension of car parking in those directions and there is a hush hush office park to the West which basically only leaves the "brown-field" scrap yard to the east as the only plausible horizontal extension. Vertical extensions may be possible but will be limited H and M is going up and out.If they are talking about an enlarged eating area,combined with a larger M and S and Primark then are we looking at a general broadening of the centre at its central point?There is also the service road that runs behinde Primark etc,whats going to happen there i wonder.My concern is that all we will be doing is taking business from town, rather than Meadowhall.The usual high street brands,as Reggie pointed out,dont encourage people from anywhere else but from the immediate area.

[cnosni]

oh and lets not forget that if teh Eastgate development does go ahead then thats even more car parking going,even though you cannot call it cheap.I know the new development will have a car park,connected by a bridge to John Lewis,but will it be enough?