Elland Road Masterplan Public Consultation Beeston Forum
and guests
Elland Road Masterplan
Public Consultation
Special meeting with
Beeston Forum and Guests
Saturday 2 June 2007
Facilitated by
FWA and Icarus
In association with Austin-Smith:Lord
1. Introduction
The special meeting of Beeston Forum and guests from other community groups in South Leeds that took place on Saturday 2 June 2007 was called as part of a wider programme of public consultation on a draft masterplan for the redevelopment of the Elland Road area. The consultation was commissioned by the Development Department of Leeds City Council and carried out by FWA and Icarus in association with the masterplanning architects Austin-Smith Lord.
Publicity to attract Beeston Forum members to the meeting was kindly undertaken by Beeston Forum. Other guests were invited directly by FWA.
2. Format of the meeting
The event was structured to give some summary information on the proposed masterplan and the background to its development and to invite participants to take part in a series of participatory exercises. These were designed to gather feedback on issues of concern and interest in relation to the Elland Road area and the draft masterplan, what needs to be addressed and ideas and comments relating to this.
The questions asked in each exercise and the responses given are presented in full below.
3. Those attending
(Names are written here as people chose to sign in; one was unfortunately not legible)
D Abbott
K (?) F Barnard
C Beck
M Bichnan
B Binge
Bill Birch
E Brayshaw
K Brayshaw
D Brooke
J Cunningham
Diane Dobson
B Drury
J Fenton
K Fenton
H Gregory
Hilda Harrison
Ron Harrison
J Hodgson
John Hodgson
Anne Hopper
Pauline Johnson
Doris Kenny
C Kirk
M Kitson
J Leathley
J B Linthead
W Linthead
G Mason
M Mason
M McSorley
Kath Miller
Ewan Mitchell
J Margreaves
J Marshall
Jeremy Morton
Susan Murray
E Newton
M Payne
N Roberts
Anne Sampson
K Scarth
B Stockdale
R Stockdale
J Stones
Steve Thompson
Christine Thornton
P Whitehead
R Whitehead
Robert Winfield
4. Exercise: Individual responses to the question “ What is the one thing you would like to see happen or change in the Elland Road area?”
(The answers to this question, as written on postcards, are transcribed in full)
§ Multi story car park on Eland Road site
§ s.106 agreement for community café in Beeston village centre
§ Either satisfactorily explain, or scrap, plans to include housing, police station and other irrelevant things as part of the arena development
§ Nothing
§ Adequate parking, road and noise control, especially if a casino is to be built. Also an adequate bus service to reduce car traffuc and pollution.
§ No casino
§ Sympathetic use of the spare land – i.e get rid of the ‘eye sore’
§ Reduction of traffic in the area of Wesley St
§ Stop treating Beeston like a 3rd world country
§ Land use for the community of Beeston and the surrounding area – not for profit making fat cats who have no interest in the community and people
§ Something positive for the area
§ Police cars coming and going day and night: why is the Police HQ to be located [here] – surely this would provide extended car parking for arena/football
§ Needs tidying/developing but the right development; Access to any development not via Elland Rd
§ A development which is community friendly (leave room for some green space) Not all access to be from Elland Rd which is a busy road already – adequate parking essential to alleviate our area being flooded with cars which cannot park at the venue
§ Direct route for traffic from town centre to Elland Rd football ground - bypass Elland Rd
§ No cars at the stadium – like Wembley
§ Arena!
§ Development
§ Quality, fast, efficient public transport
§ Sports centre
§ Traffic control
§ Car parking
§ Proper traffic plan – i.e multi storey car park, efficient street cleaning after events not two days later
§ We need a new road connecting the motorway system with the Elland Rd site. There needs to be adequate parking- i.e a multi-storey parking on site to take all cars from football and other development
§ Traffic management (development or not)
§ Take away the impact of parking around the local area and traffic congestion
§ If there is an arena, are there any plans for improving public transport back into Leeds late at night?
§ Development and improvement (no arena) for locals and visitors, leisure, commerce, traffic control, etc,
5. Exercise: Group round-ups of the above question
§ Quality, fast, efficient public transport
§ Direct route for traffic from town centre, Morley, etc, to Elland Rd football
§ Traffic management, noise control, pollution control, residents’ parking/access, adequate public transport systems need development
§ Use Cottingley Station – free buses from there to Elland Rd.
§ Needs development/tidying. Should be community friendly with green space. No access to the development via Elland Rd. Adequate parking – proposal doesn’t provide this. No Arena.
§ We need a new road connecting with the motorway system to the Elland Rd site. There needs to be a multi-storey car park on site to take all cars, bearing in mind the stadium holds 45,000 and could be full when Leeds United pull themselves together again. More local people have cars than in the past so we cannot be relied upon to provide free car parking should an arena be built, or any other development. The multi storey car park needs to accommodate his extra load. It is doubtful that the bus company could provide adequate transport without prejudicing other users because they have recruiting difficulties plus problems with buses breaking down. The railways won’t provide a stop because it would slow down the London trains. A tram route might be the answer but is unlikely – who would provide the funds?
§ We need efficient cleaning after events. People buy food at take-aways, go to their cars and eat, then dump litter.
6. Queries, questions and further statements
(These were written on postcards and transcribed as below)
§ All in favour of development/improvement – with the proviso that local residents’ opinions MUST be taken into account. Police station – yes; Arena – yes
§ No parking on site – like Wembley
Housing fine – needs to be mixed tenure and affordable for local people
Developments should be to highest (carbon neutral?) standards
Local labour clauses for developers and end users (retailers, etc) with training provision to skill up local people
§ The city centre is a far better location for the arena
§ Old Rd/Town St roundabout - concerns that it is not safe, especially with schools nearby
§ Is a casino in a regeneration area a good idea? What is the effect on families/ low paid, etc?
§ ‘Keep Clears’ on Wesley St for side roads as queues from new signals block the junctions
§ Will the housing be private or social housing?
§ Why has the No 55 bus been cancelled?
7. Exercise – feedback to the principle that ‘No development should happen here unless …’
§ It benefits the local people firstly .. then Council revenue last!
§ Multi storey car park
Much improved public transport
More involvement by the local community
§ The transport infrastructure is fully addressed first
§ Public transport needs to be the 1st priority, not an after thought
§ Cars are banned from the area
§ The health and environmental impact on local people is fully investigated
§ There is a multi story car park that is big enough to take the vast majority of visitors (and they must be made to use it, e.g. include parking in the ticket price)
§ Adequate multi-story car park is built on Elland Rd site
§ Pigs fly and traffic stops!!!
§ There is full and open consultation and the development results in full community involvement
§ Increase in car parking (at least no reduction)
§ Certain result in less congestion, transport services are bettered and all well patrolled on event days
§ The arena is dropped
§ All the issues brought up at today’s meeting are given full consideration
§ Residential buildings are low rise
§ No arena
§ Bus service gets better
§ The result is less congestion and the bus service improves off-peak for the whole area
§ Traffic congestion is improved
§ Proper consultation with all developers
§ Study on pollution and traffic
§ Less traffic congestion
§ Facility for local people
Better bus service
Community involved
Jobs for local people
§ Better public transport
Parking to be addressed
Traffic to be controlled
Involvement of local residents
Consultation and feedback
Listen to the community of the area and their concerns
Improve present facilities/surroundings – i.e tarmac roads, shop fronts, etc
§ The local residents can be entirely satisfied that their interests will not suffer
8. Group exercise responses
Issue / Who affected / Impacts on the area / How could things be improved? / Who could help / PriorityLeaving site / Visitors / local residents / Traffic congestion which involves people not involved in events / Good traffic control – Improved public transport / Police, Metro, LCC Highways / High
‘Rat run’ Sunnyviews / local residents / Local residents can’t get in / out. Dangerous / Traffic enforcement / Police / traffic wardens / High
Noise / air pollution / local residents / Poor air quality / Improved public transport
Multi fuel cars / Metro, Car manufacturers / High / medium
Dangerous areas / Cleveleys, Colensos, Sunnyviews, Heaths residents / More residents / visitors parking permits / LCC / High
Traffic / Everyone living in the area / Unable to return home during match days. Acceptable as a 2 week basis – after all we choose to live there. But unacceptable if certain venues i.e. casino or arena are built in the area / Kept as a football ground, people in the area accept ‘match days’.
Tidy up the surrounding car parks – plant trees, landscape.
Building houses in the area / Leeds City Council
Private business, Housing Associations / High
Medium
Noise / Everyone living in the area / Late night concerts
Stop Elland Rd becoming a ‘Rat run’ at peak times.
The area seems too small and concentrated for any form of Arena. All the ideas are impossible to work through because the major problem is traffic. Anyone who travels in the area knows this. Just look at the map to see how conjested the area is at the moment. Why is it so important to develop this area – is it the only area in Leeds? Plans come and go, how much of ratepayers money is wasted trying to develop a small lpiece of land?
Public footpath (Parsons Field) – hope it won’t be closed with the proposal to build houses at the bottom end. / All local people / It provides access from town St to Elland Rd. / Just leave it as it is! / High
Public transport / Residents / Inadequate public transport i.e. busses will not go through Holbeck on Match Days – Residents tied to their homes during this period. / More busses during match days and rush hours.
Busses to go through Holbeck at all times or to have a bus that just goes around Holbeck during match days. / Metro / First Bus / High
All transport / Residents / Too much traffic not using Motorway creating ‘Rat Runs’ / Only one entry / access into the complex – By-pass Elland Road / Holbeck etc. / Leeds City Council – Highways
-LUFC / Investors /Planners / Developers / High
Illegal / inconsiderate parking / local residents, public transport / Frustration, longer journeys, air pollution / Law enforcement / Police / High
Not enough parking already / Visitors / local residents / Ad hoc parking in residential and other available spaces – grass verges etc. / Multi storey car park / Developers / High
Parking / All residents of Beeston / On match days in successful years for LUFC. Perhaps extends to Dewsbury Rd. Currently 4000 parking spaces, set to reduce to 2700 – will make matters much worse. / Multi story car park on Elland Rd site.
Non Solutions –improve public transport, metro and First Bus cannot give us the bus services we need, thus, how can they be trusted to implement a public transport plan. The key issues are matters of trust. Beeston Forum have recently been seeking to interact with Metro and First Bus on Public Transport Issues and LCC Highways on highway issues.
In the former case consultation has resulted in no improvement in bus services to ‘low car owning’ areas of Beeston. In the letter LCC highways do not consult. In replies they actively refuse to attend meetings and implement schemes in a unilateral manner and then walk away leaving the residents with the problems. This there is a lack of trust that has built up over the years. / In any planning permission granted. S106 agreement and chapter in EIA to fully examine Parking Issues – where it happens and when. / High
Parking / Residents / Cars parked as far as Holbeck i.e. Top Moor side, Making access / exit difficult. / -High rise parking
-Parking Permits (Policed)
-More parking on site / LCC
Investors
Police / High
Parking / Elland Rd, West Street, Town St, Cross Flatts (roads) / Roads blocked / New way to Ring Road to Motorway to site / Football ground etc.
Restricted Parking
Multi storey car Park
Cost of parking / public transport inc. in ticket price / Highways
Police / Stewards
Metro / High
Parking / Everyone in Beeston and Holbeck. As far as Old Lane, Cemetry Road, Beeston Road, Top Moor Side / Access to Homes, Shops, Allotments, Footpaths. / Car free Area for evnts / matches.
Resident permit Parking across Beeston and Holbeck.
Park and ride from all across Leeds and far away supports.
Open Gelderd Road Station (on Huddersfield Rd / Police / Wardens
Metro.
First and other private operators
Metro
Railtrack / High
Parking
Absolute priority for Beeston residents is Parking. / Residents / Must have a multi storey car park like Manachester and Sheffield. It is totally unacceptable to use our streets as free parking. It is already incredibly dangerous on Match days. Streets become impassable – what about ambulances etc. The police do nothing to regulate dangerous parking. Residents permits are not acceptable what about visitors. It limits our freedom and lifestyle. We need more than one visitor permit.
Traffic Flow / All residents of Beeston / Recent changes on Town St / Wesley St Junction have made matters much worse. £35000 wasted by the Highways Dept when all that was needed was two zebra crossings - no consultation with local people. / Bring the LCC Highways Dept back under democratic control. / Councillors of all parties / High
Traffic and public transport
Noise and disruption longer than for Elland Rd now. Unsociable hours of an Arena.
Pollution
Litter – an issue that the council can’t manage on match days now.
Policing
Poorer quality of life for residents
Not enough car parking – so will park in streets.
Antisocial behaviour increase. / Residents who live in the area / Life will be harder / of less quality if development is not correct.
Roads will be blocked making it harder for residents to move around – longer journey times.
No details of access to the site for development. How will this be dealt with?
Current residential roads will be used for development vehicles. / No Arena on the site.
Access to the development area, not via Elland Rd
More car parking spaces
Big expenditure on environmental issues.
Good lighting
Be realistic – no matter what you do people don’t use public transport. Don’t rely on this to solve the traffic problem.
No drinking on streets policy to reduce noise / antisocial behaviour. No takeaways as part of the development. / LCC / the developer
LCC
Developer
Developer
Developer
Developer
LCC
Any problems on M621 and Beeston Rd is always affected – Busy Tailback / All areas / Rat runs / Fly over from Motorway. / Highways
Beeston Rd/ Old Lane - killer / Highways
9. Feedback on the way the meeting was designed and run