The Pedestrian Foot Bridge Will Be Built...
Since CIRG started we have always received emails, and continue to do so, about the bridge or lack thereof. Speculation has always been rife in the lack of any firm information, and, myself included, reported opinions based on hearsay and rumour.
We have received several more emails lately, all suspecting and speculating different things about the situation with the bridge, including the fear that City Island Residents Group via Sue’s good work on the Wellington Place development may somehow be blocking it’s construction. As you all know, we, and everyone of our members, want the bridge to be completed.
However, I contacted the council, alarmed that they may think that CIRG oppose the bridge, and have now received a response from Paul Kendall, the responsible Planning Officer, stating quite explicitly, that “the bridge already has [planning] permission and is a stated objective of the Statutory Development Plan”.
This is as CIRG group have reported for a while, and we can now state once and for all – the bridge will definitely be built, but we just don’t know when. I hope this clears matters up for people who were fearing the worst.
The detailed response is copied below if you want to read it, which refers to a conversation he has had with one of our residents resulting in some confusion, and also the confusion I introduced by my emailing him, when he was already dealing with Sue representing CIRG on these matters – all confusion of which, is now is resolved.
Dear Mr Brown
Thank you for your e-mail to which I would respond as follows:
My previous conversations with Mr ****** have been centred around the progress towards providing the footbridge across the River Aire from City Island to what is now called Wellington Place. The details of this bridge already have the benefit of planning permission and a river crossing at this point is also a City Council objective included in the Unitary Development Plan Review 2006. In addition, there is also an existing approval for an outline scheme at Wellington Place which was approved in Nov 04 and indicates a footbridge in this location. The current outline application also indicates a footbridge.
During my most recent conversation with Mr ****** (during the first or second week of the new year) as well as the bridge, I also discussed the current outline planning application on the Wellington Bridge site (referred to above) for which I am also the case officer. As part of this conversation I informed Mr ****** that I had received a letter of objection to the Wellington Place scheme from the City Island Residents Group (CIRG) . At that time I informed Mr ****** that I had not had an opportunity to read the letter in any detail (it is 7 pages long and had been received over the Christmas and New Year period). I informed him that the address given at the head of the letter was:
c/o ** Catalina,
City Island
Gotts Rd
LEEDS
LS12 1HD
Originally this letter arrived unsigned, however, this week I have received correspondence from Susan Ridge representing CIRG on other related matters. This has appended to it the original letter and which is from the same address. I therefore presume that this first letter was also from the same writer.
The original letter, amongst other matters, expresses disappointment with the present lack of any footbridge which, in my opinion, infers a general support for the bridge. It then goes on to say that it's landing point location between the two tower blocks would result in a loss of privacy to the apartments in proximity to this point. However, this is based on a misinterpretation of the City Island landing point which is on to the riverside footpath and not the raised deck area. There will, therefore, be no impact on the privacy of the units in this location. For your information the bridge has to land at this lower level so that it's gradient does not become prohibitively steep rendering it unusable. It will be 'at grade' at both ends under the approved scheme.
Any comments received during consideration of the outline application for the Wellington Place site will be reported to Members and addressed in the officers report to Plans Panel.
Can I suggest that, in the interests of simplicity and clarity, only one point of contact is chosen from CIRG to correspond with myself. This would avoid potential confusion and an unnecessary duplication of work.
I would simply like to conclude by reiterating a previous point which is that the bridge already has permission and is a stated objective of the Statutory Development Plan.
I hope this is a clear statement of my position on this matter.
Paul Kendall
We have received several more emails lately, all suspecting and speculating different things about the situation with the bridge, including the fear that City Island Residents Group via Sue’s good work on the Wellington Place development may somehow be blocking it’s construction. As you all know, we, and everyone of our members, want the bridge to be completed.
However, I contacted the council, alarmed that they may think that CIRG oppose the bridge, and have now received a response from Paul Kendall, the responsible Planning Officer, stating quite explicitly, that “the bridge already has [planning] permission and is a stated objective of the Statutory Development Plan”.
This is as CIRG group have reported for a while, and we can now state once and for all – the bridge will definitely be built, but we just don’t know when. I hope this clears matters up for people who were fearing the worst.
The detailed response is copied below if you want to read it, which refers to a conversation he has had with one of our residents resulting in some confusion, and also the confusion I introduced by my emailing him, when he was already dealing with Sue representing CIRG on these matters – all confusion of which, is now is resolved.
Dear Mr Brown
Thank you for your e-mail to which I would respond as follows:
My previous conversations with Mr ****** have been centred around the progress towards providing the footbridge across the River Aire from City Island to what is now called Wellington Place. The details of this bridge already have the benefit of planning permission and a river crossing at this point is also a City Council objective included in the Unitary Development Plan Review 2006. In addition, there is also an existing approval for an outline scheme at Wellington Place which was approved in Nov 04 and indicates a footbridge in this location. The current outline application also indicates a footbridge.
During my most recent conversation with Mr ****** (during the first or second week of the new year) as well as the bridge, I also discussed the current outline planning application on the Wellington Bridge site (referred to above) for which I am also the case officer. As part of this conversation I informed Mr ****** that I had received a letter of objection to the Wellington Place scheme from the City Island Residents Group (CIRG) . At that time I informed Mr ****** that I had not had an opportunity to read the letter in any detail (it is 7 pages long and had been received over the Christmas and New Year period). I informed him that the address given at the head of the letter was:
c/o ** Catalina,
City Island
Gotts Rd
LEEDS
LS12 1HD
Originally this letter arrived unsigned, however, this week I have received correspondence from Susan Ridge representing CIRG on other related matters. This has appended to it the original letter and which is from the same address. I therefore presume that this first letter was also from the same writer.
The original letter, amongst other matters, expresses disappointment with the present lack of any footbridge which, in my opinion, infers a general support for the bridge. It then goes on to say that it's landing point location between the two tower blocks would result in a loss of privacy to the apartments in proximity to this point. However, this is based on a misinterpretation of the City Island landing point which is on to the riverside footpath and not the raised deck area. There will, therefore, be no impact on the privacy of the units in this location. For your information the bridge has to land at this lower level so that it's gradient does not become prohibitively steep rendering it unusable. It will be 'at grade' at both ends under the approved scheme.
Any comments received during consideration of the outline application for the Wellington Place site will be reported to Members and addressed in the officers report to Plans Panel.
Can I suggest that, in the interests of simplicity and clarity, only one point of contact is chosen from CIRG to correspond with myself. This would avoid potential confusion and an unnecessary duplication of work.
I would simply like to conclude by reiterating a previous point which is that the bridge already has permission and is a stated objective of the Statutory Development Plan.
I hope this is a clear statement of my position on this matter.
Paul Kendall
posted by City Island Residents Group at 10:11 AM
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