Hornbeam Nook Templar Lane Swarcliffe Leeds LS15 5LJ

1. 1.The Local Planning Authority considers that the proposed development, including the formation of a new access road, turning head and associated works, would result in an unjustified and harmful encroachment into established residential garden land. These works would significantly alter the site's visual and spatial character and are unnecessary for a single replacement dwelling. The proposal therefore represents unsympathetic development that would harm the character and appearance of the area, contrary to Polices H2 a) and P10 of the Core Strategy, saved Policy GP5 of the Unitary Development Plan (Review), the design guidance contained within adopted SPG Neighbourhoods for Living and paragraph 75 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
2. 2.The Local Planning Authority consider that the proposed replacement dwelling, by reason of its excessive scale, massing and overall height relative to the existing bungalow and surrounding built context, would represent an unduly dominant and visually intrusive form of development. The introduction of a substantial two storey dwelling with additional accommodation in the roof space, together with its pronounced gable form and increased ridge height, would appear incongruous when viewed in the context of the more modest proportioned dwellings along Templar Lane. The development would therefore fail to reinforce or respect the established character of the area, contrary to Policies P10 and H2 a) of the Core Strategy, saved Policy GP5 of the Unitary Development Plan (Review), as well as the design guidance contained within adopted SPG Neighbourhoods for Living and the National Planning Policy Framework.
3. 3.The Local Planning Authority considers that the proposed development which involves the construction of a replacement dwellinghouse that is materially larger than the one it seeks to replace, would intensify the use of Templar Lane, a narrow and substandard private road with no footways, restricted visibility and insufficient width for safe two way vehicle movement. The new access arrangement onto Swarcliffe Drive provides inadequate visibility splays and creates conflict with existing driveways, resulting in unsafe manoeuvres. The proposed rising barrier on Templar Lane would also lead to hazardous reversing movements and obstruct access for emergency, service and refuse vehicles. Furthermore, the proposed vehicular access is considered to be excessive, being set out as a road rather than a driveway and results in an over-engineered form of development, wholly inappropriate for 1 dwelling. As such, the development fails to provide safe and suitable access for all users and is contrary to Policy T2 of the Core Strategy, the Street Design Guide SPD, the Transport SPD and paragraphs 110-112 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
4. 4.The Local Planning Authority considers that the proposed layout fails to provide sufficient space for the required replacement Beech tree to be planted and to grow to maturity without conflict with the access road and parking areas. This would create foreseeable pressure for future tree works or removal, resulting in long term harm to site landscaping and local visual amenity. In addition, the proposal would also result in a loss of local biodiversity and habitats and would therefore fail to provide a net gain in terms of Biodiversity. As such the proposal is contrary to the wider aims of Policies G9, P10 and P12 of the Core Strategy, saved Policies GP5, G9 and N25 of the UDPR, Policy LAND2 from the Natural Resources and Waste Local DPD, the guidance included in adopted SPG Neighbourhoods for Living Guideline Distances from Trees to Development and that found within the National Planning Policy Framework.
5. 5.The Local Planning Authority consider that in the absence of an appropriate mechanism to ensure compliance with the self-build exemption regarding the requirement to deliver a 10% biodiversity net gain via development, the proposal has failed to secure the delivery of a self-build dwelling and, in the alternative the development were not to come forward as a 'self-build' development, failed to secure the necessary biodiversity net gain in accordance with the requirements of the Environment Act 2021, and related biodiversity policy to deliver a biodiversity net gain. Consequently, conflict with Core Stategy Policy ID2, and guidance within the NPPF is identified.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

LS15 5LJ

Application type

Full Planning Application

Scale / size

Small

Date validated

5 January 2026

Consultation start

13 January 2026

Last date for comments

12 February 2026

Target decision date

2 March 2026

Agent address

Adrian Rose 16 Rhodesia Avenue Halifax HX30PB

Statutory period

56 days

Site notice start

22 January 2026

Documents

24