Leeds HMO Lobby

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Representation on
Tetley Hall Redevelopment
by Pickard Properties

Leeds HMO Lobby is a coalition of all the local community associations in Inner NW Leeds, concerned with the imbalance of housing provision (and therefore of the demographics) in the Area. The Lobby wishes to make three points in relation to the Tetley Hall Redevelopment by Pickard Properties.

First, Leeds HMO Lobby wishes to note the fact that the housing and demographic imbalance in Inner NW Leeds is widely recognised. Leeds City Council in fact has established the Shared Housing Group specifically to address the problem. It is chaired by Cllr Hamilton (Headingley Ward), and comprises not only the Council, but also both universities and their student unions, as well as the Lobby - and Leeds Property Association. Several policies now address the situation.
(a) The SHG itself has adopted a Shared Housing Action Plan, one of whose objectives is "To reduce the number of students in full-time education accommodated within the Area of Housing Mix as a proportion of the population, by the Census in 2011" (to which of course, the LPA and thus Pickard Properties subscribes).
(b) The Revised UDP (2006) has adopted Policy H15, which resists student housing in the Area of Housing Mix.
(c) The Inner NW Area Committee is preparing a Housing Strategy specific to the Area of Housing Mix, intended to restore to the Area a mixed and balanced community.

Secondly, in the light of these policies, Leeds HMO Lobby opposes Option A, Student Residential, of the Tetley Hall Redevelopment Project.
(a) Most obviously, Option A is directly contrary to everything the Council and others are doing to restore diversity to the Area. In particular, this Option subverts the action taken by the University of Leeds - when the University has dispensed with 200 student bedspaces, it would be perverse to see these replaced by 250 in the new development.
(b) What's more, experience elsewhere shows that student housing developments attract further student housing in the vicinity - for instance, around Kirkstall Brewery or Sugarwell Court (students like to congregate with their fellows). Other provision on the site intended for private residents would be bought by landlords or parents for student housing.
(c) Finally, a concentration of students on the site can only deter other residents from considering settling there. How many families would ever dream of setting up home next door to 250+ students?!

Thirdly, Leeds HMO Lobby supports Option B, Private Residential, of the Tetley Hall Redevelopment Project. Our Area badly needs housing provision to re-balance our community. The Lobby urges the development to take measures to ensure such provision is secured.
(a) For instance, the redevelopment should include no accommodation which lends itself to (multiple) student occupation, like large or cluster flats.
(b) The development could also include restrictive covenants on all the properties, prohibiting multiple occupation.

Leeds HMO Lobby looks forward to the development of the Tetley Hall site in the interests of the community as whole.

Dr Richard Tyler, Co-ordinator, Leeds HMO Lobby
30 July 2007

Leeds HMO Lobby
email: hmolobby@hotmail.com website: www.hmolobby.org.uk/leeds