20 September 1946 Serious flooding in Kirkstall from the River Aire, with the whole of the Bridge Road playing fields and the railway station under water. Floods of this scale occur roughly once every fifty years, but there are records of even larger events which explains the lack of development in the valley bottom. Kirkstall Road (which is several metres above the river) was flooded in 1866.
1954 The Burley Mill Allotments were leased by Leeds City Council from Millers (Great Yarmouth) Ltd for a period of 14 years. Purchase negotiations using powers granted under the Town and Country Planning Acts (1962 & 1968) started towards the end of the lease.
April & June 1954 LCC granted planning applications G160 and G681 to allow refuse tipping on the allotment gardens at Redcote Lane.
29 June 1956 The Archie Gordon Sports Ground at Bridge Road in Kirkstall was opened by Lord Luke (Chairman of the National Playing Fields Association). The ground was intended particularly to provide sporting facilities for children from the industrial areas of the city. The funds had been raised from the public by the Leeds Schools Athletic Association.
27 February 1959 Conveyance between Parkhowe Properties Ltd and Leeds City Council for the land between Burley Mill Goit and Kirkstall Road. The council had previously made a Compulsory Purchase Order under the 1957 Housing Act. The land was initially used as a refuse tip and then landscaped.
15 November 1963 Conveyance between John Waddington Ltd and Leeds City Council for the large garden and stone house at 649 Kirkstall Road. The council used the powers contained in the Leeds Corporation Act 1924.
2 November 1965 Planning application OU400 was granted for the construction of 275KV and 130KV sub-stations for the National Grid. This application required the diversion of Redcote Lane, which was an acknowledged public right of way. The diversion destroyed the gates and fence to the coal store and canal basin at Redcote Lane, and these barriers were not subsequently restored.
1970 A purchase agreement was signed between Leeds City Council and Millers (Great Yarmouth) Ltd. for Burley Mills and the allotments land. The fee was to be paid in four instalments, and the sale was completed on 14 April 1975.
1972 The Leeds Development Plan Review identified the Burley Mill allotments and Kirkstall Road margin as public open space. The Archie Gordon, Headingley FC and Waddingtons sports ground were zoned as private playing fields. The 1961 survey figure of 2 acres of public recreational open space per 1000 population was to be raised to 4.3 acres per 1000 by 1981, plus 0.5 acres of children's play areas and 5.4 acres of amenity open space, a total of 10.3 acres public open space per 1000 people! Private open space was expected to decline from 0.7 to 0.6 acres per 1000.
13 October 1972 Yorkshire Television were granted permission to use part of the coal store at Redcote Lane as a helicopter landing pad (planning application number ODD48).
1973 Kirkstall power station was fully converted from coal to oil and the use of the former coal store and canal basin on the Leeds Liverpool Canal was abandoned. The hoists and coal crushing machinery were removed when the last oil tank was commissioned shortly before the Yom Kippur war. The ensuing oil price rise gave rise to some local comment!
19 August 1974 Yorkshire Television renewed their helicopter landing permission at Redcote Lane (application number 74/26/176). 26 September 1975 Norwest Holst Ltd completed their site investigation work for LCC on the city council land to the north east side of the River Aire. Their report concluded that the 'madeground' alongside Kirkstall Road was unsuitable for the support of foundation loads and that the mixed organic nature of the fill meant that ground compaction techniques might not be feasible.
1976 Kirkstall power station was disconnected from the National Grid.
26 July 1979 Norwest Holst Ltd completed additional site investigation work for LCC on the CEGB land to the south west side of the River Aire. Their report concluded that the former ash tips were unsuitable for the support of any form of foundation loadings and that concrete piles might be attacked by corrosive chemicals from the landfill materials.
6 November 1979 Grandways Supermarket opened in Kirkstall.
14 February 1980 Planning permission granted for George Lowes new Engineering Works on Kirkstall Road (application number 79/26/746). There was considerable opposition, and local residents were promised by LCC Planning Officers that the former waste tip on the Kirkstall Road frontage would be laid out as public open space under the new Kirkstall Valley local plan.
10 September 1980 LCC Planning Committee adopted the Kirkstall Valley local plan, showing the Burley Mill Allotments, market garden, school playing field (on the land next to George Lowes on Kirkstall Road) and the Gotts Park golf course extension on the land next to the National Grid transformers. It was agreed to establish a Steering Group to progress the plan for a Kirkstall Valley Park.
24 March 1981 The inaugural meeting of the Kirkstall Valley steering group was held, with representatives from the LCC Leisure Services and Planning Committees, West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and the Kirkstall Village Community Association (KVCA). Apologies were received from the Countryside Commission.
28 April 1981 LCC established the original Leeds City Development Company as a private company limited by shares. (This company changed its name to Civic Hall (Leeds) Ltd on 1 December 1987, and has since been dissolved by the Registrar of Companies, having failed to submit its annual returns.)
22 July 1981 Second meeting of the Kirkstall Valley steering group.
29 September 1981 The third meeting of the Kirkstall Valley steering group discussed inter alia the appointment of a Kirkstall Valley Warden, the Kirkstall Village Community Landscape project, and illegal topsoil stripping at Ross Mills in Bramley.
23 October 1981 Leeds City Council wrote to the DoE asking whether the CEGB-owned Kirkstall power station site and land at Wyther Lane would qualify for derelict land grant. No clear reply was ever received to this letter but the site was included in the Council's proposed derelict land program for 1982/3.
10 November 1981 The fourth meeting of the Kirkstall Valley steering group discussed inter alia the sewer problem on the Kirkstall Road playing field, and the possible Marina at the redundant Coal Basin at the former Kirkstall power station.
12 March 1982 Fifth meeting of the Kirkstall Valley steering group.
8 June 1982 The first Kirkstall Valley Warden (Mr. John Tickle) was appointed.
24 September 1982 The sixth meeting of the Kirkstall Valley steering group received detailed progress reports on the various aspects of the Kirkstall Valley Park, and arranged to publish a Guidebook during 1983.
1982-84 Numerous meetings took place involving the City Council, CEGB, British Rail and the DoE but no agreement was achieved about the Kirkstall power station site (which is actually in Armley). There were serious difficulties over site access, filled land, flooding etc. It was clear that the Armley side of the River Aire would be very expensive to develop. A derelict land grant application was turned down in 1983.
7 January 1983 Conveyances between the executors of Elaine Isobel Flower Barran and The PAH Hartley 1972 Settlement for Shadwell Grange Farm, and between the executors of Elaine Isobel Flower Barran, Mr. PAH Hartley and Mrs RC Hartley for the house and grounds at Shadwell Grange.
24 March 1983 Agreement signed between the Manpower Services Commission, Leeds City Council and the Kirkstall Village Community Association to establish the Kirkstall Village Community Programme. The Wildflower Garden near Beecroft Street and the upper section of the Goitside Walk between Beecroft Street and St. Anns Mills were among the first schemes to be designed.
25 March 1983 LCC established Leeds City Development Company (1983) Ltd as a private company limited by guarantee (number 1709889). The Council made a grant of £1 million to the Company under section 137 of the Local Government Act.
31 March 1983 Martin Murray sold 37 acres of land at Oak Hill Cottage Farm, Ring Road, Shadwell to Leeds City Council for £58,750 to provide an extension to Roundhay golf course. This land was later identified as a possible re-location site for Headingley FC in July 1988. (See LCC deed packet 50947, title number WYK 153925)
16 May 1984 A.H. "Howard" Mallinson of Thomson McLintock Associates wrote to Councillor Mudie expressing interest in developing the Kirkstall power station site.
21 May 1984 Cllr. Mudie replied positively to Mr. Mallinson about Kirkstall power station and added that "... we have a Development Corporation (sic) which has funds and it may well be able to put forward a tripartite approach to this site." Presumably he was thinking of the original LCDC (now defunct) or LCDC (1983) Ltd.
22 May 1984 Planning permission granted for the Community Programme wildflower garden near Beecroft Street (Application number 84/26/106)
23 May 1984 Mr. A.H. Mallinson met LCC planning officers.
26 June 1984 A more detailed letter from Mr. Mallinson to Councillor Mudie mentioned the possibility of a 300,000 sq ft 'out of town' shopping centre "like Gateshead" on the Kirkstall power station site.
29 June 1984 Councillor Mudie wrote to Councillor Atha seeking his views on the Mallinson proposal. A reminder letter was sent on 31st August .
13/14 August 1984 John Waddington Ltd submitted two planning applications: 84/26/314 for shop units on their Commercial Road frontage, and 84/26/315 for residential development on the remainder of their Kirkstall factory site and private sports ground.
2 October 1984 Kirkstall Valley steering group meeting. Among other matters members discussed the Kirkstall Valley Community Programme scheme and the provision of playing fields for Kirkstall Middle School.
8 October 1984 Councillor Atha (having consulted Kirkstall Branch Labour Party) replied that the Branch would prefer leisure development on the lines of the Kirkstall Valley local plan, but there would not be any strong opposition to jobs of a more industrial nature. No mention of retailing.
11 November 1984 Kerryquint was incorporated as a £100 company limited by shares (number 1862420). This company was subsequently acquired by LCDC (1983) Ltd and was re-named (twice!) to become LCDC (1985) Ltd. It was re-named a third time on 1 December 1987 and became the new Leeds City Development Company Ltd.
December 1984 Practical completion of the Wildflower Garden near Beecroft Street by Kirkstall Village Community Programme workers.
7 December 1984 Leeds City Council signed an agreement with the Leeds and District Gardeners' Cooperative Council, who would manage 49 existing allotment sites throughout Leeds on behalf of the City Council. This agreement included the Burley Mill Allotments in Kirkstall.
December 1984 Leeds Sports Council agreed to grant-aid the new changing rooms for Milford ARLFC because it served an area of special need.
19 December 1984 Councillors Mudie, Atha and Judy Thomas met Mr. Mallinson to discuss Kirkstall power station.
28 January 1985 Kerryquint Ltd adopted a new Memorandum of Association and resolved to change the company name to Leeds City Development Company (1985) Ltd. This was eventually accomplished (in two stages!) on 26 February 1985.
27 February 1985 Leeds City Development Company (1985) Ltd. adopted new Articles of Association reflecting its acquisition by LCDC (1983) Ltd.
6 March 1985 Kirkstall Valley steering group meeting.
29 March 1985 Contract for sale between John Waddington plc and Peel Holdings plc for the former Waddingtons printing works and playing field at Bridge Road in Kirkstall. An initial deposit of £400,000 was paid, with the balance of £1,200,000 payable when planning permission was obtained, plus a share in the development profits.
Spring 1985 The remaining Kirkstall power station buildings were demolished. There were problems with asbestos removal.
July 1985 Work was completed on the upper section of the Goitside Walk (between Beecroft Street and St. Anns Mills) by Kirkstall Village Community Programme.
17 July 1985 A Special General Meeting of the Leeds Schools Sports Association approved the sale of the Archie Gordon ground to Renslade Investments for £700,000. Mr. D. Richardson (Weatherall, Hollis & Gale) acted for the Association and was present at the meeting. The Chairman of Renslade died before this sale could be completed.
Summer 1985 (approximate date) Demolition of Waddingtons print works by Gill's Demolition. Headingley FC signed a contract to develop their ground at Bridge Road, which was contingent on their finding alternative playing facilities.
17 June 1985 Kirkstall Leisure Centre opened at the Kirkstall cross-roads, providing swimming pool, dryside, showers and changing facilities.
6 August 1985 Planning started for the Goitside Walk Extension from St. Anns Mills to George Lowes Engineering works. This proposal was eventually combined with the "Nature Garden" on the LCC land fronting onto Kirkstall Road, but work on this latter site did not start until 1987.
August 1985 Completion of the new changing rooms at Milford ARLFC in Beecroft Street with the aid of the Sports Council grant.
25 November 1985 The "Landmark" development company invited the Kirkstall councillors to discuss the company's proposals at Bridge Road. (This particular initiative came to nothing, and was eventually superseded by the various supermarket applications from Peel Investments.)
23 December 1985 LCC West Leeds local plan panel met with West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council representatives to consider the project brief and strategic context for a draft local plan for West Leeds.
6 January 1986 Planning permission granted for the Goitside Walk extension from George Lowes to St. Anns Mills (application number 85/26/386). Only the section alongside Burley Mill Goit was completed by the Community Programme workers.
13 January 1986 Representatives from Leeds City Council travelled to London to receive an award (presented by Mr. Kinnock) from the Campaign for Freedom of Information to mark the Council's progressive policies on access to information!
17 January 1986 Kirkstall Valley steering group meeting. It was reported that Kirkstall Middle School were now able to use the Elida Gibbs playing field, so that the Community Programme Nature Garden scheme could proceed on the land next to George Lowe's Engineering works on Kirkstall Road.
21 January 1986 The "Barcelona" night club (Bridge Road) was flooded from Abbey Mill goit. £50,000 damage (mainly carpets). The car park at the rear was under water and Mike & Bernies Locksmiths was also affected. The goit may have been partially obstructed by demolition rubble from the Waddingtons site.
29 January 1986 LCC West Leeds Local Plan panel met with some of the West Leeds councillors to consider the project brief and strategic context for a draft local plan for West Leeds.
19 March 1986 Headingley FC submitted a planning application number 86/26/91 for new playing facilities at Adel. The proposals encountered strong opposition.
31 March 1986 The West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council was abolished.
4 April 1986 Mr. PAH Hartley submitted objection NL860 to the North Leeds Local Plan. He wanted housing on the green belt land owned by the PAH Hartley 1972 Settlement.
16 May 1986 Kirkstall Valley steering group meeting. Among other items it was agreed to extend the Kirkstall Valley Community Programme scheme.
7 July 1986 Headingley FC's planning application 86/26/91 for playing facilities at Adel was rejected by Leeds City Council.
18 August 1986 Private meeting between Mr. Kenyon (LCC Planning Department) and representatives from Headingley FC to discuss development at Bridge Road.
3 December 1986 Technical Board (LCC Planning Dept) considered potential uses for the Kirkstall power station site and identified once again the usual problems with traffic generation, and the conflicts with LCC retail and office development policies.
14 January 1987 The LCC Planning Committee adopted revised guidelines for the provision of public open space in private housing developments, with increased emphasis on visual amenity, informal recreation and the preservation of wildlife habitats. The overall target for amenity open space remained at 1.8 hectares (4.5 acres) per 1000 population, or 0.2 hectares for every 50 dwellings.
19 January 1987 Briefing meeting for Councillor Walker after further discussions between LCC officers and the CEGB about the Kirkstall power station site. There was not considered to be any necessity for a joint meeting with Councillor Nash (Kirkstall member and Chair of Leisure Services) at this stage.
February 1987 The Leeds European Year of the Environment (E.Y.E.) Association was founded. Representatives from the five cities of Leeds, Lille, Liege, Turin and Cologne later resolved to concentrate on rivers and related matters during the year-long competition.
27 February 1987 John Waddington plc withdrew their 1984 planning applications for the Kirkstall factory site.
12 March 1987 Memorandum between John Waddington plc and Peel Holdings plc about the Kirkstall factory site.
7 April 1987 LCC planning officers asked the Highways Department to re-examine possible site accesses to the "potential development land" surrounding the Kirkstall power station. HECS replied on 15th June. The local councillors were not informed of the renewed interest in the site.
22 April 1987 Peel Investments (UK) Ltd submitted planning application 87/26/157 for a supermarket development on the former Waddingtons factory site.
13 May 1987 LCC advertised the Peel application 87/26/157 as a departure from the Statutory Development Plan. The advertisement incorrectly described the site as "part public house and part vacant land" rather than "playing fields and public open space". This caused some confusion, but the Kirkstall Village Community Association and the local councillors objected to the plan.
10 June 1987 A Special General Meeting of the Leeds Schools Sports Association approved the sale of the Archie Gordon ground to Headingley FC for £150,000. Mr. D. Richardson (Weatherall, Hollis & Gale) acted for the Association. This sale formed part of the Peel Investments scheme at Bridge Road and was not completed.
11 June 1987 General Election. John Battle (Labour) defeated Michael Meadowcroft (Liberal) and became the new Member of Parliament for Leeds West.
21 July 1987 Progress meeting between CEGB and LCC Planning and Leisure Services Departments regarding the Kirkstall power station site. CEGB felt that the ash lagoons were not worth reclaiming. LCC Planners favoured a road access which protected the allotment land. Possible site uses discussed, including Nature Reserve and Commercial Leisure. Derelict land grant was to be investigated.
25 August 1987 Peel Investments registered an appeal with the Secretary of State against non-determination of their planning application 87/26/157, and submitted a duplicate application 87/26/339 for the Waddingtons factory site. The duplicate application was not advertised by LCC although it was a departure from the 1972 statutory development plan. The DoE fixed an inquiry for 12 April 1988.
25 August 1987 Internal memo sent from Mike Lewis (LCC Director of Sport) to Paul Clemence (LCC Planning) warning that leisure development at Kirkstall must not conflict with the large scheme at Elland Road.
2 September 1987 Letter from Alan Baldwin (LCC Planning) to Dave Titterington (LCC Policy Unit) regarding Kirkstall and the Elland Road scheme.
3 September 1987 John Clithero (Milford Amateur Rugby League Football Club) wrote to Peter Stephens (John Waddington plc) enquiring about the possibility of Milford using the Waddingtons playing field.
10 September 1987 Mr. D.Y. Pollock (Bernard Thorpe and Partners) replied to John Clithero on behalf of Waddingtons, explaining that the Waddingtons land near Bridge Road had been sold to Peel Holdings plc, who were waiting for the results of their supermarket planning application.
14 September 1987 LCDC (1985) Ltd held a private board meeting to re-activate the dormant company, new directors having been appointed by LCDC (1983) Ltd, which was the holding company. Councillors Mudie, Andrew Carter, Cooksey and Trickett were present, together with two LCC officers, Lord Bellwin, and representatives from A.J. Marks (Management) Ltd, CIPFA Services, Dibb Lupton, Peat Marwick McLintock and the Leeds Chamber of Commerce. A new Company Secretary and Acting Chief Executive were appointed.
15 September 1987 LCC officers met representatives from Tay Homes and H. Lax & Co to discuss the power station site. Local councillors were not involved. Tays were considering a "village enclave" of 400 - 500 homes in the "mid to high" range. This was the first meeting to discuss development on the Burley Mill Allotments and the sports field sites.
22 September 1987 Leeds City Council again wrote to the DoE enquiring about a derelict land grant for the Kirkstall power station site.
22 September 1987 Internal memo sent from Dave Titterington (Policy Unit) to Alan Baldwin (Planning) stating that: "proposals for commercial leisure at Kirkstall which may prejudice the Elland Road Scheme should not be promoted."
25 September 1987 Meeting in Leeds Civic Hall between Councillors Illingworth and Bedford, Alan Baldwin (Planning), John Tinker (Parks), P. Holdsworth (Highways) and four representatives from Milford ARLFC to discuss the lack of playing fields in Kirkstall. Waddingtons, Archie Gordon, Queenswood Drive and the land next to George Lowe's on Kirkstall Road were all discussed as possibilities.
29 September 1987 Internal memo sent from Brian Lawless to his Senior Assistant Director in the LCC Industry Department warning of the potential for "serious inter-departmental conflict regarding the redevelopment of the former Kirkstall power station". He wrote of "proposals which are being put to the Development Company" and mentioned a feasibility study by Faulkner Browns, and the Planning Department scheme for the EYE Nature Reserve. He was reluctant to make any concessions until the Faulkner Brown report was available, and asked the Senior Assistant Director to seek political guidance.
29 September 1987 Internal memo sent from Brian Lawless (LCC Industry Dept.) to P. Clemence (LCC Planning) seeking to delay the Kirkstall Nature Reserve proposals.
29 September 1987 John Clithero (Milford ARLFC) replied to Mr. Pollock (Bernard Thorpe and Partners) and asked whether Peel might be prepared to dispose of the Waddingtons playing field for development as a rugby ground.
1 October 1987 Formal presentations by the Area Teams from the LCC Industry Department to Mr. A.J. Marks (and others?) from LCDC (1985) Ltd.
1 October 1987 Mr. Pollock (Bernard Thorpe and Partners) replied to Mr. Clithero (Milford ARLFC) stating that Peel would consider Milford's proposal when the outcome of the Peel planning application was known.
5 October 1987 Internal memo sent from Alan Baldwin (LCC Planning) to Brian Lawless (LCC Industry) drawing attention to the strong support from councillors for the E.Y.E. project.
7 October 1987 The DoE confirmed that the Kirkstall power station and the former ash tips on the Armley side of the river would qualify for derelict land grant. No derelict land was identified on the river island or on the Kirkstall side of the river. Large areas in Armley were also excluded. The DoE agreed to fund a marketing feasibility study.
12 October 1987 Private monthly board meeting of LCDC (1985) Ltd. (Present: G.E. Mudie, J.L. Carter, Trickett, Cooksey, Richardson, Turner & Silver) D.W. Richardson (Weatherall's), D.D. Turner (Bayford's) and L.H. Silver (Kalon) were appointed as Directors at a standard fee of £5000 per year. Mr. A.J. Marks was given authority to negotiate land purchases for the Kirkstall Valley project.
26 October 1987 Mr. M. Rathmell (Minerals Section, LCC Planning Department) visited the former Waddingtons playing field, in response to complaints from Milford ARLFC that the topsoil was being illegally stripped from the site. The stripping was stopped, but enormous damage had already been done to the pitch.
October / November 1987 Officers from the LCC Industry and Planning Departments prepared a consultants' brief for a marketing survey on the Kirkstall Valley and the surrounding area. Local councillors were unaware of these developments. The brief was printed in November 1987, but never published because of events in London.
4 November 1987 Memorandum between John Waddington plc and Peel Holdings plc about the Kirkstall factory site at Bridge Road.
12 November 1987 Councillor Illingworth wrote to the LCC Chief Executive and Director of Administration (Mr. J. Rawnsley) about the proposed developments at Bridge Road and the illegal topsoil stripping from the Waddingtons playing field.
16 November 1987 LCDC (1985) Ltd. adopted a new Memorandum and Articles of Association and resolved to change the name to Leeds City Development Company Ltd. This was accomplished on 1 December 1987.
16 November 1987 Planning permission granted for the Nature Garden and play area on the land next to George Lowes Engineering works on Kirkstall Road (application number 87/26/401 from Leisure Services). An earlier, less ambitious scheme number 87/26/133 from the Community Programme division was simultaneously withdrawn.
24 November 1987 A brief report on LCDC (1983) Ltd. was considered by the LCC Industry and Employment Development Committee. The paper did not mention the existence of LCDC (1985) Ltd and gave little indication of matters currently in hand.
30 November 1987 Private monthly board meeting of LCDC (1985) Ltd. (Present: Mudie, Andrew Carter, J.L. Carter, Cooksey, Trickett, Walker, Barraclough, Jackson, Silver, Thackray & Turner). John Jackson (Centaur Clothes), Ian Barraclough (Bernard Thorpe) and P. Thackray (Thackray's) were appointed as Directors at the standard fee of £5000 per year. A.J. Marks reported inter alia on Fairbairn Lawson, Ledston Luck and Kirkstall Valley.
1 December 1987 The original Leeds City Development Company (which was not trading) changed its name to Civic Hall (Leeds) Ltd and this allowed LCDC (1985) Ltd became the new Leeds City Development Company Limited (number 1862420).
7 December 1987 The Secretary of State (Nicholas Ridley) announced his intention to establish the Leeds Development Corporation. This decision was not immediately effective because it required the specific approval of both Houses of Parliament.
14 December 1987 The Secretary of State (Nicholas Ridley) issued directions under article 15 of the General Development Order 1977 requiring Leeds City Council to refer any planning applications within the prospective UDC area to the Secretary of State. The map attached to the directions excluded most of the land near Bridge Road, so the Peel planning applications were initially unaffected.
December 1987 Work by the Kirkstall Village Community Programme on the Goitside Walk Extension and the Kirkstall Road Nature Garden was halted on instructions from Leeds City Council officers, although there was no committee decision which authorised or required this move.
24 December 1987 The appointed members of the LCC Policy and Resources Committee (Mudie, Miller & Andrew Carter) approved capital project report 8766 for land acquisition at Stourton.
24 December 1987 Mr. Rawnsley (LCC Chief Officer) replied to the letter from Councillor Illingworth about the Peel development at Bridge Road and the illegal topsoil stripping. Mr. Rawnsley retired shortly afterwards, and many of his legal duties were taken over by Phil Maude.
5 January 1988 The appointed members of the LCC Policy and Resources Committee (Councillors Mudie, Miller, Loudon and Cooksey) met with the Press and Public excluded. They took a majority decision to sell 19 separate sites in Leeds (totalling 96.13 acres) to the Leeds City Development Company for £5.1 million. The list agreed by the appointed members included 27 acres at Burley Mills for £350,000 but no details of the areas, locations or prices appeared in the published LCC Committee Minutes and none of the local councillors were informed of the moves.
6 January 1988 Two reports on the implications of the Leeds UDC and the article 15 directions were considered by LCC Planning Committee. There was no mention of the land transactions with LCDC. The position statement on the Kirkstall Valley stated in paragraph 3.18 that "a nature garden and an extension to the goit walk are programmed for an early start". Work had in fact been stopped by LCC officers in December 1987 to facilitate the secret land sales.
11 January 1988 "Clawback" agreement signed between Leeds City Council and LCDC in respect of the 19 sites agreed on 5th January, whereby 50% of the increased land value after development (defined by a complex formula) would be remitted to Leeds City Council.
12 January 1988 The LCC Industry & Employment Development Committee considered a report on the Channel Tunnel Freight Terminal at Stourton.
29 January 1988 Alan Black acting on behalf of Leeds City Council and the Central Electricity Generating Board invited six companies (AMEC, Bovis, Henry Boot, Mountleigh, Peel and Sheerwater) to submit proposals to develop the Kirkstall Valley, including the Burley Mill Allotments, but without the Rugby grounds or the Waddingtons site. There was no public announcement and it is difficult to find any LCC committee minute authorising this action. The development brief was based on the consultants' brief for the aborted marketing feasibility study. The owners stated that they intended to dispose of the site prior to development for £400,000 but would retain an interest of at least 10% in the rack rents from the finished scheme. The six companies were asked to respond before 29 February 1988. A copy of this letter was also sent to Alan Hardy (Finance Director at Yorkshire Television) but none of the local councillors were informed.
February 1988 A team of consultants lead by Pieda Ltd. were appointed to undertake a preparatory study to assist the Secretary of State for the Environment in taking final decisions on the proposals to establish the Leeds Development Corporation. Mr. D. Richardson was one of the consultants. This study recommended the deletion of the Killingbeck proposal, and the movement of the north western LDC boundary up to Bridge Road, thereby including the whole of the Waddingtons site, the Headingley FC and the Archie Gordon ground.
15 February 1988 Private board Meeting of the Leeds City Development Company Ltd. (Present: Mudie, Andrew Carter, Cooksey, Trickett, Walker, Barraclough, Jackson, Richardson & Silver) It was resolved to seek close co-operation between LCDC and the Leeds Development Corporation. The Directors examined a joint valuation report produced by Weatherall, Hollis & Gale and Bernard Thorpe & Partners on the property to be purchased from Leeds City Council, and agreed to buy almost all the sites, including the Burley Mill Allotments. The Directors also discussed the draft 'agreements' with P & O and AMEC.
15 February 1988 LCC Plans West Sub-committee rejected the Planning Officers' recommendations for approval of Peel Investments duplicate application 87/26/339 for the derelict Waddingtons site. Members were concerned about the highway proposals and the loss of playing fields. Officers were asked to prepare reasons for refusal to be considered at the next scheduled meeting of the Sub-committee to be held on 7th March 1988.
19 February 1988 LCC Planning Committee considered a late agenda item on the implications of the Leeds Development Corporation. LCDC was discussed in the report, but there was no mention of the land transactions. The section on Kirkstall Valley (transcribed from the January 1988 report) was still incorrect.
25 February 1988 Private board Meeting of the Leeds City Development Company Ltd (Present: Mudie, Andrew Carter, Cooksey, Trickett, Walker, Barraclough, Jackson, Richardson & Silver) The board approved the 'agreements' with Mountleigh and P&O. Negotiations with AMEC had broken down.
26 February 1988 The appointed members of the Policy and Resources Committee (Mudie, Miller & Andrew Carter) authorised the Council Leader (G.E. Mudie) to sign two "Statements of Intent" which the Leeds City Development Company had negotiated with Mountleigh Northern Developments and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P & O) to develop public land in the City of Leeds.
29 February 1988 Private board Meeting of the Leeds City Development Company Ltd (Present: Trickett, Andrew Carter, Barraclough, Thackray, Richardson, Turner, Silver & Jackson) The LCDC board agreed details of the Press Release on the 'agreements' with P & O and Mountleigh.
late February or early March 1988 Officers from the LCC Planning Department wrote a "Briefing note to Councillor Walker" (LCC Planning Committee Chair) recommending acceptance of the Peel Investments supermarket application for the Waddingtons site "to avoid unnecessary expense and embarrassment". (Peel had already been shortlisted for the Kirkstall Valley Development scheme, which was still secret at this stage.)
8 March 1988 Peel Investments submitted a third planning application 88/26/110 for the derelict Waddingtons factory site. This was not advertised by LCC Planning Department although it was a departure from the Statutory Development Plan.
16 March 1988 A special Plans West Sub-committee meeting was called to consider the various planning applications by Peel Investments and resolved that application 88/26/110 be deferred and delegated to the Director of Planning for approval, subject to successful negotiation of a section 52 agreement on all outstanding Highways matters. Such officer delegation was unlawful, because the proposals had not been advertised, and the committee had not considered objections received during the 21-day deposit period.
22 March 1988 Prince Charles presented both the United Kingdom and the European awards to the Leeds E.Y.E. Association for a variety of schemes along the River Aire including the Kirkstall Nature Reserve on the former CEGB ash tips.
25 March 1988 The Secretary of State "called in" the Peel planning applications because they might prejudice the viability of the Urban Development Area. As a result LCC never formally granted planning permission for any development on the Waddingtons site. No enforcement action was taken over the topsoil stripping.
28 March 1988 First known reference to the "Lost World of the Dinosaurs" in a letter from Mountleigh. The Dinosaur Theme Park subsequently became an object of public ridicule when the Mountleigh scheme was finally announced.
28 March 1988 Private LCDC Board Meeting (Present: Cllrs. Mudie, Walker & Cooksey; Barraclough, Richardson, Turner & Jackson) Brian Lawless presented the results of the Kirkstall Valley 'development competition'. Four proposals had been received, but only those from Peel and Mountleigh merited further consideration. Peel would be prepared to accept Bovis as the builder. A small sub-committee was formed consisting of Trickett, Cooksey, Jackson, Richardson & Turner to consider the proposals and place a recommendation before the board. It was agreed that if the proposal from Peel was accepted the builder should be Bovis, which was a P & O subsidiary.
29 March 1988 The appointed members of the LCC Industry and Employment Development Committee agreed revised terms for the sale of LCC sites to LCDC. No details of the site locations, areas or prices were printed in the committee minutes, so it was impossible for the other councillors or the general public to find out what had happened.
30 March 1988 Letter from David Trippier M.P. at the Department of the Environment to Councillor Mudie indicating the proposed boundary changes to the UDC area, including the changes at Bridge Road recommended by consultants (David Richardson and Pieda).
31 March 1988 The appointed members of the LCC Policy & Resources Committee (Mudie, Miller & Andrew Carter) agreed capital project reports 9270 and 9271 providing a grant of £250,000 and a loan of £2,095,000 to the Leeds City Development Company so that it could purchase some of the sites agreed on 5 January 1988. No details of the locations, areas or sums of money involved were published in the committee minutes so the other councillors and the public were unaware of the move.
April 1988 Leeds E.Y.E. Association published its final report in conjunction with the Leeds City Council Planning Department, outlining its scheme for a nature reserve on the CEGB ash tips and the island in the River Aire.
15 April 1988 Councillor Brian Walker (LCC Planning Committee Chair) replied on behalf of Cllr. Mudie to David Trippier M.P. at the Department of the Environment, supporting the proposed changes to the draft UDC areas, including the boundary change near Bridge Road. These changes had not been discussed by the Council, and the local ward members were unaware of them.
18 April 1988 Private presentations by Mountleigh and Peel to the LCDC Kirkstall Valley working party. The Armley and Kirkstall councillors were not invited to the meeting. The councillor members of the LCDC board were too busy to attend.
25 April 1988 Private LCDC Board Meeting (Present: Mudie, Cooksey, Trickett, Walker, Jackson, Silver, Barraclough & Richardson) Brian Lawless presented a verbal report on Kirkstall Valley, and it was agreed that a written report should be presented to the working party under Councillor Trickett with a subsequent report to the full board.
29 April 1988 The appointed members of the LCC Industry and Employment Development Committee agreed details of the land purchase at Stourton.
10 May 1988 The Secretary of State (Nicholas Ridley) signed the Leeds Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order. This required Parliamentary approval, and did not come into effect until 30 June 1988. The new maps included the whole of the former Waddingtons site, Headingley FC and the Archie Gordon ground.
12 May 1988 Letter from Mr. Stuart Kenny at the Department of the Environment to Steve Kind about the likely intentions of the future LDC. Mr. Kenny subsequently became the LDC Director of Development.
19 May 1988 The second meeting of the LCDC Kirkstall Valley working party discussed the acquisition of the Archie Gordon ground and the relocation of Headingley FC.
23 May 1988 Private LCDC Board Meeting (Present: Mudie, Walker, Cooksey, J.L. Carter, Turner, Barraclough, Richardson & Jackson) Brian Lawless reported on the second meeting of the Kirkstall Valley working group. The board discussed the relocation of Headingley FC. They agreed that Mountleigh should develop the site, that the Councillor Mudie should discuss the scheme with the Chairman of the UDC, that housing should be included, and that adjoining sites should be included contingently in the scheme.
24 May 1988 The Appointed Members of the LCC Policy and Resources Committee (Mudie, Miller, Gruen and Cooksey) agreed the final details of the 90% mortgage advance for £2,347,537 repayable over 25 years between LCC and LCDC, so that the Development Company could purchase LCC land. The time period to complete the purchase was extended until 11 July 1988, but no details of the sites were published in the Committee Minutes. Only 9 of the original 19 sites were included in this deal.
21 June 1988 The LCC Industry and Employment Development Committee received a retrospective report on the proposed Channel Tunnel Freight Terminal at Stourton, LCC land acquisitions and the partnership agreement with LCDC, Mountleigh, Bovis Urban Renewal and the P & O group. Land purchase was stated to be complete.
24 June 1988 Leeds City Council leader George Mudie invited the three Kirkstall councillors to a 'confidential briefing' by Mountleigh Northern Developments and Industry Department officers on the Kirkstall Valley development proposals. Councillor Brian Walker was also present as chairman of the Leeds City Council Planning Committee. At one point it was stated that unspecified areas of public land had already been sold to the Development Company to "protect" them from the UDC, but this statement was later withdrawn. (Sales to LCDC offer no protection against the UDC.) All of the Kirkstall councillors expressed varying degrees of opposition to the ugly and ill thought out scheme.
27 June 1988 (1pm) LCDC Board Meeting (Present: Mudie, Cooksey, Trickett, Jackson, Barraclough, Richardson & Turner with Bob Cockroft as Councillor Walker's alternate.) It was reported that Mountleigh had agreed to the principles expressed by the LCDC board. Dibb Luptons were to draft an option agreement based on the LCDC/Mountleigh 'partnership agreement' (see 25/26 February 1988). The board adopted new Articles of Association which inter alia required Directors to disclose any interests which might conflict with those of the Company and to abstain from voting on such matters.
27 June 1988 (4pm) Second meeting between the Kirkstall councillors, G.E. Mudie, Brian Walker, Mountleigh and Industry Department officers. Further doubts were expressed about the Mountleigh scheme. Officers were warned that the plans would encounter strong public opposition.
27 June 1988 (8pm) Councillors Illingworth and Minkin met with local residents who were concerned by rumours of a new development scheme. A leaked colour copy of the Mountleigh proposals was circulated by a local resident (Bernard Farrar) and the meeting resolved to establish the Kirkstall Valley Campaign.
29 June 1988 Meeting between Mark Turnbull & Patrick Kelly (LCC Conveyancing) and "MDW" regarding the sale of Burley Mills and the allotment land. They were aware of the implications of the 1972 Development Plan Review, the 1980 local plan and the agreement with the Leeds and District Gardeners' Cooperative Council, and discussed whether the sale should be advertised. Geoff Simpson (Leisure Services) was reported as claiming that information was being "leaked" from the Department of Planning.
29 June 1988 JEF, JSK & AJH from the LCC Planning Department discussed the relocation of Headingley FC at a private Technical Board Meeting.
30 June 1988 The Leeds Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order came into force.
30 June 1988 A private meeting between Mountleigh Northern Developments, the John Brunton Partnership, Ian Wright, "Stan, Neville, MDW and BL" (LCC officers) discussed traffic generation from the Dinosaur Theme Park, Retail and Business elements. They also considered the M621 - Armley - Kirkstall link road, the location of retail outlets and the possible re-location of Headingley FC.
30 June 1988 A private meeting between Neville Kent, Ian Wright, Henry Moon, "NG, MW, SK and BL" (LCC officers) discussed Highways issues affecting the Kirkstall Valley development including the M621 - Armley - Kirkstall link road. "NG" stated that retail development at the North West end gave particular highway problems.
4 July 1988 The LCC Policy and Resources Committee approved an additional capital project report 9650 for land purchase at Stourton.
6 July 1988 Five acres of public land (Burley Mills and the Market Garden) were conveyed to the Leeds City Development Company for £310,000. The allotments and the public open space alongside Kirkstall Road were deleted from the conveyance at the last possible moment as a result of legal advice. George Mudie and Phil Maude signed the contract documents. The local councillors were not informed.
6 July 1988 First meeting of the Leeds Development Corporation (present: Hartley, Jackson, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson & Watson) at South Point. Members toured their area by bus, and discussed, inter alia, their overall objectives, potential conflicts of interest, the Pieda report, the draft strategic plan, land vesting, public relations and their relationships with the DoE, LCC and LCDC. This meeting took place in private, no agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared.
7 July 1988 Mountleigh Northern Developments presented their scheme at a private meeting held in Kirkstall Middle School attended by Councillors Mudie, Illingworth and Minkin, industrial tenants from Burley Mills and St. Anns Mills, Kirkstall Valley Campaign representatives and officers from the LCC Industry and Planning Departments. There was no mention of the M621 - Armley - Kirkstall link road. LCC Industry Department officers attempted to exclude some members of the Kirkstall Valley Campaign.
8 July 1988 LCC officers offered the Roundhay golf course extension site at Shadwell to Headingley FC for use as a rugby stadium after re-location from Kirkstall.
9 July 1988 LCC advertised the sale of Public Open Space (Burley Mill Allotments, Kirkstall Road margin and the Goitside Walk) using a tiny advertisement in the legal notices section of the "Yorkshire Post". The local councillors were not informed and there was no mention of the proposals in the mass-circulation "Evening Post". Local residents failed to notice the advertisement and so lost the opportunity to object.
9 July 1988 Kirkstall Festival at Kirkstall Abbey. The Kirkstall Valley Campaign mounted its first public display on the development proposals.
11 July 1988 Maggie Heaton (an Infopress employee who had covertly joined the Kirkstall Valley Campaign) offered to supply information to Mountleigh on KVC activities, and enclosed a report of the KVC display at the Kirkstall Festival. Mountleigh passed the message on to Brian Lawless (LCC Industry and Estates) with a suggestion that it be brought to the attention of Councillor Mudie. Infopress were working for Mountleigh and were subsequently retained by the Leeds Development Corporation. This public relations company also played a leading role in the Leeds Chamber of Commerce response to the Government's "Action for Cities" initiative.
11 July 1988 The Leeds City Council Labour Group received a resolution from Kirkstall Branch Labour Party which was very critical of the development proposals. The resolution was referred to the Planning Group. It was subsequently argued that the full group had delegated the whole question of the Kirkstall Valley development to the planning group, but this was not originally the case.
16 July 1988 Re-advertisement of the sale of Public Open Space in the Saturday edition of the "Yorkshire Post". Once again the notice was missed by residents.
22 July 1988 Mountleigh Northern Developments presented a revised version of their scheme to a second private meeting held in Kirkstall Middle School. Councillors Atha, Minkin, Illingworth and Mudie were in attendance. Increased doubts about the Mountleigh proposals were expressed by the Kirkstall Valley Campaign. No clear information about land sales despite questions from the audience. No mention of the M621 - Armley - Kirkstall link road.
25 July 1988 Private board meeting of the Leeds City Development Company Ltd (Present: Mudie, J.L. Carter, Walker, Trickett, Cooksey, Turner, Barraclough & Jackson) The board received a report on the Kirkstall Valley scheme, and agreed to buy the remaining Council land within the UDC area.
26 July 1988 The appointed members of the LCC Leisure Services Committee (Cllrs. Atha, Briggs and Flavell) agreed to sell the Gotts Park Golf Course extension to the Leeds City Development Company.
1 August 1988 Leeds City Council received planning application number 88/26/368 from Mountleigh Northern Developments, acting in partnership with Leeds City Development Company. The accompanying 'illustrative plans' were subsequently amended on numerous occasions. The application was eventually "called in" by the Secretary of State so that it could be determined by Leeds Development Corporation, leaving Leeds City Council with a purely advisory role.
3 August 1988 Private progress meeting between LCDC, Mountleigh and LCC Industry and Highways departments (present: B. Lawless, M. White, N. Goodall, B. Thompson, I. Wright & M. Permaine) to discuss the highway requirements for the Kirkstall Valley scheme, and possible alignments for the M621 - Armley - Kirkstall link road. None of the Armley or Kirkstall councillors were involved, or aware of the meeting. No traffic flow information was available. It was agreed that any new road alignment must not interfere with the Mountleigh/LCDC development site.
5 August 1988 Councillor Illingworth wrote to the LCC Chief Executive (Mr. Ansbro) seeking details of land transactions in the Kirkstall Valley because of the confusion which now surrounded this issue. An urgent reply was requested, but no answer was immediately forthcoming.
8 August 1988 Last date for formal objections to the sale of the Public Open Space in the Kirkstall Valley. No attempt was made to inform local councillors or the Kirkstall Valley Campaign that the sale was imminent, or of the opportunity for objections, despite the serious doubts which had been expressed at the preceding meetings.
12 August 1988 LCC advertised Peel Investments planning application 88/26/362 for retail development at Bridge Road as a departure from the 1972 Development Plan. (This application was later called in by the Secretary of State.)
18 August 1988 The second LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Jackson, Andrew Carter, Hardman, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker, Watson) discussed the draft LDC strategic plan, which included B1 commercial, retail, office and leisure proposals for the Kirkstall Valley, and identified future development sites. This board meeting took place in private, no agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared.
19 August 1988 Twenty two acres of public open space (the Burley Mill Allotments, the Goitside Walk Extension and the land next George Lowes Engineering works on Kirkstall Road) were conveyed from LCC to LCDC for £40,000. The transaction appears to be outside the time limits fixed on 24 May 1988. Councillor Mudie and Phil Maude signed the contract documents on behalf of the Council; D. Richardson and R.A. Smith signed on behalf of the Company. None of the Kirkstall councillors were informed. It was suggested later that this sale might be ultra vires because it contravened the 1925 Allotments Act, but nobody objected at the time because the local councillors and the public were unaware that it was taking place.
24 August 1988 Representatives from the Kirkstall Valley Campaign met Mountleigh to discuss the Kirkstall Valley planning application.
6 September 1988 Transfer of the Waddingtons land at Bridge Road to Mountleigh Northern Developments for £1,250,000, subject to the provisions of the contract dated 29 March 1985 between Waddington and Peel Investments Ltd, as amended by memoranda dated 12 March 1987 and 14 November 1987. These gave Peel Investments an option to buy the site during the remainder of 1988 if they obtained planning permission for development.
14 September 1988 About 200 people attended the first Public Meeting organised by the Kirkstall Valley Campaign in Kirkstall Middle School. The meeting unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the retention of the horticultural land and public access areas to the south of Kirkstall Road, the implementation of the E.Y.E. Nature Reserve, and the retention of the Burley Mills and St. Anns Mills buildings.
15 September 1988 Infopress sent seven pages of notes on the KVC Public Meeting held on the previous night to Mike White (LCC Industry and Estates).
15 September 1988 The third LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Jackson, Gunnell, Hardman, Holroyd, Richardson and Walker) discussed the fifth draft of the LDC strategic plan, which by then included substantial housing, office, B1 commercial, retail and leisure proposals for the Kirkstall Valley, and identified various future development sites. The appointment of Mr. S. Kenny (who was already in post) was ratified as LDC Director of Development and Marketing. There was a discussion of Mountleigh's indicative scheme for the Kirkstall Valley. The whole meeting took place in private, no agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared.
19 September 1988 Private LCDC board meeting (Present: Mudie, Loudon, Walker, J.L. Carter, Trickett, Silver, Richardson, Jackson & Barraclough) The board received a report on Kirkstall Valley and discussed the relocation of Headingley FC and the continuing local opposition. Work was to continue on the joint venture agreement and Councillor Mudie was to discuss the development of the site with the Chairman of the LDC. The resignation of Mr. Thackray was registered with Companies' House.
20 September 1988 Councillor Brian Walker (LCC Planning and Development Committee Chair) resigned from the LCDC board and was replaced by Councillor Alec Hudson. This was reported to Companies' House on 24 October 1988.
21 September 1988 The LCC Planning and Development Committee approved the Mountleigh/LCDC scheme in principle, despite numerous objections from local community organisations, the general public, all three Kirkstall councillors and the Kirkstall Valley Campaign. (The committee were unable to grant formal planning permission, because the application was subject to direction from the Secretary of State.) Approval was given subject to an EEC Environmental Impact Assessment and a site visit by the committee to be arranged at a later date.
4 October 1988 The LCC Chief Executive acknowledged the letter of 5 August 1988 from Cllr. Illingworth about Kirkstall Valley land sales and apologised for the delay in replying.
5 October 1988 The Leeds Development Corporation assumed its full planning powers.
12 October 1988 The LCC Industry Department finally replied to Cllr. Illingworth's letter of 5 August 1988 and gave full details of the Kirkstall Valley land transactions, which by this stage had been completed.
20 October 1988 The fourth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Jackson, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Hardman, Lockwood, Walker & Watson) agreed to hold a site visit and a public meeting on the Kirkstall Valley proposals. Discussions with Mountleigh were in progress, and the need for an EEC environmental impact assessment had been agreed. It was reported that Infopress had been appointed as the LDC Public Relations advisors. This board meeting took place in entirely in private, no agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared.
21 October 1988 Nicholas Ridley visited Leeds. The Kirkstall Valley Campaign presented him with a petition containing 1200 signatures, with more to follow. Leeds Development Corporation launched its strategic plan, which included a ludicrously inaccurate map of the Kirkstall Valley.
24 October 1988 Private LCDC board meeting (Present: Mudie, Loudon, J.L. Carter, Trickett, Cooksey, A. Hudsonn, Silver, Turner, Jackson & Barraclough) The board received a report on Kirkstall Valley. The inclusion of new areas of land implied that the CEGB profit share should be 25%. The replacement of Councillors Walker and Andrew Carter by Councillors Hudson and Loudon was registered at Companies' House.
27 October 1988 The first Kirkstall site visit was cancelled because hardly any of the LCC planning committee were able to attend.
17 November 1988 Members of the LCC Planning Committee and the LDC Board visited the Kirkstall Valley for the first time. Some members expressed surprise that the site was much less derelict than they had expected.
17 November 1988 Fifth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Jackson, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Hardman, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). This meeting took place in private and no agenda or minutes were published. There was an extended discussion of the forthcoming public meeting on 29 November and the latest Mountleigh proposals for the Kirkstall Valley, which differed from those seen previously by the board. Concern was expressed about the changes in Mountleigh's ownership and it was agreed that contact with the company should be maintained at Board and Director level. The LDC Director of Planning submitted an extended report on planning applications 88/26/110 and 88/26/362 from Peel Investments for a major retail development at Bridge Road. It was agreed to defer a decision because the board wanted to consider the area as a whole. [This effectively killed the Peel proposal because their option required them to obtain permission during 1988.] Mr. Richardson declared an interest in the Leeds Schools Sports Association rugby league ground at Bridge Road in relation to the forthcoming public meeting, but the unpublished LDC minutes do not record any withdrawal from the LDC meeting, or from the discussion of the Peel Investments' planning applications on the Bridge Road site.
21 November 1988 The appointed members of the LCC Policy and Resources Committee (Mudie, Miller, Andrew Carter & Cooksey) agreed that LCDC employees could join the West Yorks Superannuation Fund, and that Mr. David Liggins (from Coopers & Lybrand) be appointed to the LCDC board. [On other occasions it was argued that LCDC was a separate organisation, outside the control of Leeds City Council, and therefore not subject to the provisions of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.]
21 November 1988 Private LCDC board meeting. It was reported that discussions with Mountleigh were continuing with respect to the joint venture company. The Kirkstall Valley Working Party would be re-constituted with Councillors Trickett and Cooksey, plus Mr. Liggins and either Richardson or Jackson.
21 November 1988 (evening) Councillor Mudie announced his intention to resign as Leader of Council early in the new year.
23 November 1988 A letter was sent from Peter Hartley (LDC Chairman) to R.A. Clegg (Mountleigh Chairman) querying Mountleigh's commitment to the Kirkstall Valley Development, and asking for a detailed plan to be released before the LDC Public Meeting which had been called for 29 November.
24 November 1988 Geoff Goodwill (Mountleigh Northern Developments) responded at length to Peter Hartley's letter of the previous day, detailing various contacts with the Development Corporation and setting out a timescale for the project. [All these letters were "confidential". There is little indication of the extensive contacts between the joint developers and the planning authority in the public file on the Mountleigh planning application.]
29 November 1988 The Leeds Development Corporation held its first public meeting in Kirkstall Middle School. The hall was full to overflowing and some local residents were unable to get into the meeting. No support was forthcoming for the Mountleigh scheme from any of the five hundred people present. Grave doubts were expressed about the environmental damage and serious traffic problems were anticipated.
20 December 1988 The sixth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Hardman, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson & Walker) received an extended report on the Kirkstall Valley, which was followed by a long and detailed discussion. This meeting took place in private, no agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared. The board agreed that they were not yet in a position to give detailed planning advice to Mountleigh / LCDC and appointed Conran Roche (Planning Consultants) to draw up development options for the Kirkstall Valley. The board also agreed to seek detailed advice from LCC Highways department, and to hold a second public meeting in Armley in the new year.
6 January 1989 A letter (with extensive maps and tables) was sent from LCC Highways Department to Robert West and Partners giving details of the traffic generation from the Mountleigh scheme.
9 January 1989 The Leeds Development Corporation held its second public meeting at Gotts Park High School in Armley, with very similar results to the first public meeting in Kirkstall.
17 January 1989 Councillor John Trickett (having been previously elected at the Labour Group meeting on 9 January) was formally elected Chair of the LCC Policy and Resources Committee and became the new Leader of Leeds City Council.
18 January 1989 R.H. Sadler (allotment holder) was refused leave to seek Judicial Review of the sale of Burley Mill Allotments. His barrister was inadequately briefed and presented a muddled and inaccurate account. Despite the extensive improvements made by the Council over 35 years of continuous use, the judge was not persuaded that LCC had acquired or appropriated the land for allotments!
19 January 1989 The seventh LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Jackson, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson) received an extensive series of reports on the Kirkstall Valley. This meeting took place in private, no agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared. It was agreed to re-affirm the objectives in the 1988 strategic plan and to issue detailed planning guidance on the Kirkstall Valley to Mountleigh / LCDC, who were asked to produce new proposals for the next board meeting, in consultation with Conran Roche. [The various Conran Roche reports have never been published, but are rumoured to contain some grotesque factual errors.] The board also agreed to accept a draft budget and corporate plan prepared by Pieda in December 1988, which indicated strategic highway schemes and development objectives for Armley, Kirkstall and South Leeds. With hindsight, the future land use pattern for the revised planning framework adopted by the LDC 1990 can already be detected in this early report.
20 January 1989 A statement was issued by Peter Hartley after the private LDC Board Meeting on the previous day. Mountleigh and LCDC were asked to produce a new plan for the meeting on 16 February which included a Wildlife Corridor between the Canal and the railway and a Nature Reserve. The statement also required that "Some landscaped open space should be created fronting Kirkstall Road to draw people into the Valley and the importance of the Kirkstall Road frontage to visitors and local people must be stressed."
23 January 1989 Private LCDC board meeting. There was detailed discussion of the Kirkstall Valley development, planning guidelines and the joint venture agreement. The LCDC land at Burley Mills was now valued at £3.4 million, Mountleigh's land at Bridge Road was worth £2.5 million.
1 February 1989 The Leeds Chamber of Commerce and Industry published a 45-page report "Leeds: International City of the Future" in response to the Government's "Action for Cities" initiative. The members of the working group were: Richard Brason (White Young Consulting Engineers), Godfrey Churchouse (Bass North), Brian Clarke (Infopress Associates), Peter Collins (Elida Gibbs), Gerry Holbrook (Yorkshire Post Newspapers), John Jackson (Centaur Clothes), David Liggins (Coopers & Lybrand), David Richardson (Weatherall, Green & Smith), Harvey Roberts (Haiste Group), Brian Thompson (Mountleigh Group PLC), Victor Watson (John Waddington plc), Alan Wilson (Leeds University), Randell Wynne-Jones (Gillinson Partnership) and Peter Coles-Johnson (Leeds Chamber of Commerce). The report included sections on Population, Industry, Derelict Land, Property, the Environment, Transport, Education and Marketing Leeds. There were details of the new strategic highway proposals and the first public mention of the M621 - Armley - Kirkstall link road.
6 February 1989 The appointed members of the LCC Policy & Resources Committee (Trickett, Miller & Andrew Carter) agreed that Councillor Miller should replace Councillor Mudie on the LCDC board. This does not appear to have been reported to Companies' House until 10 March 1991.
13 February 1989 Mountleigh/LCDC submitted a joint report on Kirkstall Valley to the Leeds Development Corporation. The report included a "Notional Plan" showing retail/car parks on the Burley Mill Allotments and housing on the Headingley FC, Archie Gordon and Waddingtons sites. The appendices included a detailed shopping impact assessment from Bernard Thorpe and Partners, a base cost appraisal from the Anthony Robinson Partnership, a preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment from Donaldson Edwards and phasing details.
16 February 1989 The eighth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Jackson, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Hardman, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson) examined the latest Mountleigh / LCDC proposals for the Kirkstall Valley. They re-affirmed their January policy decisions, but agreed a more flexible interpretation reflecting commercial pressures, and issued further detailed guidance to the joint developers. This meeting took place in private, no agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared in the Kirkstall Valley. However, Mr. Hardman, Mr. Holroyd, Mr. Richardson and Mr. Watson left the room during the discussion of a South Leeds item.
20 February 1989 Private LCDC board meeting. There was a detailed discussion of the Kirkstall Valley development, and doubts were expressed about its viability if the proposals were scaled down. A copy of the consultants' report (Conran Roche?) was requested from LDC. It was confirmed that the Kirkstall Valley Steering Committee would consist of Trickett, Cooksey, Liggins and either Richardson or Jackson.
20 February 1989 The LCC Labour Group were given a map showing details of the strategic highway proposals (including the M621-Armley-Kirkstall link road) but were asked to hand their maps back at the end of the evening because they were confidential! (See entry for 1st February 1989) Discussion was deferred to a later meeting.
16 March 1989 Ninth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Hardman, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). It was reported that an amended Kirkstall Valley planning application was expected from the joint developers shortly after 20 March. There was a discussion about adverse press coverage, and it was agreed to make contact with those individuals who are able to influence directly the content and slant of the press articles so that an understanding of the Corporation's role, objectives and motives could be more fully explained. The meeting took place entirely in private. No agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared.
16/17 March 1989 Two? meetings of the LCDC Kirkstall Valley working group. Among other things, members considered the finished version of the EEC Environmental Impact Assessment. This report from Donaldson Edwards claimed that the Burley Mill Allotments "were of a poor unkempt character".
17 March 1989 Kirkstall Valley Campaign press conference to mark the publication of a specially commissioned ADAS report which showed that the Burley Mill Allotments were mostly grade one agricultural land according to the MAFF land classification. (This places them in the top 1% of all the farmland in West Yorkshire.)
20 March 1989 Private LCDC board meeting. There was a report and discussion on the Kirkstall Valley development. The Board agreed not to submit a planning application at this stage.
20 April 1989 Tenth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Jackson, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Hardman, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker, Watson). The chairman reported that the Leader of Leeds City Council (Councillor Trickett) had informed him that the latest examination of the cost of the Kirkstall Valley development indicated a significant shortfall of the order of £15m. The joint developers were continuing to look at their proposals to see if a scheme could be identified which did not require such public funding. It was agreed that formal liaison should continue at officer level between LDC and the joint developers to progress the preparation of a planning application, and that LDC officers should consider generally what other possibilities exist for a Kirkstall Valley development. It was also reported that John Jackson had resigned as deputy chairman following his appointment as chairman of Leeds West Health Authority, and that the Secretary of State had appointed John Hardman as deputy chairman. The entire meeting took place in private. No agenda or minutes were published and no personal interests were declared.
21 April 1989 John Watson resigned as a Director of John Waddington plc.
2 May 1989 The Labour Group agreed to release details of the strategic highway proposals (including the M621 - Armley - Kirkstall link road) for public consultation.
4 May 1989 The Kirkstall Valley Campaign held a public meeting in Kirkstall Middle School to launch the "Planning for Real" exercise.
8-23 May 1989 The Kirkstall Valley Campaign held local public meetings at ten different locations in Armley and Kirkstall to publicise "Planning for Real" and prepare for the planning weekend.
18 May 1989 Eleventh LDC board meeting. There was a detailed report on the financial problems facing the Kirkstall Valley scheme and the latest proposals from Mountleigh and LCDC. It was likely that the business park would be abandoned and the retail development would be moved to the Bridge Road end of the site.
22 May 1989 A private LCDC board meeting discussed several schemes. The resignation of Councillor Cooksey was reported to Companies' House.
22 May 1989 A Special General Meeting of the Leeds Schools Sports Association, was called to approve the sale of the Archie Gordon ground. The chairman claimed that many of the notices advertising the event had been "lost" in the LCC schools' mail system, so the proposition to sell the ground was never formally put to the meeting, and no decision was taken. There was a discussion of Mr. Richardson's role in the negotiations.
24 May 1989 LCC Highways Committee considered strategic highway development. This was the first public announcement of the proposals, some 12 months after they were first shown to property developers and Chamber of Commerce members.
31 May 1989 Meeting between Councillor Illingworth and Councillor Trickett, which discussed inter alia the potential conflicts of interest involving members of the LCDC board, and the lack of formal access by councillors to LCDC records. Illingworth had in fact obtained a leaked copy of the "Notional Plan" prepared by Mountleigh / LCDC in February 1989 by another route, but Trickett felt unable to discuss this document.
10/11 June 1989 The Kirkstall Valley Campaign held their "Planning for Real" weekend in Kirkstall Middle School. The public were invited to make suggestions about the future of the Kirkstall Valley and to help design a Community Plan. (Well over four hundred local residents were involved in the discussions during the month-long consultation period.)
15 June 1989 Twelfth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker, Watson). The entire meeting took place in private and no agenda or minutes were published. The chairman informed the board that the Corporation's solicitors had taken Counsel's opinion which was that board members were required to declare any pecuniary interest in agenda items. It was agreed that the board member should also leave the room during the discussion of that specific agenda item. Mr. Richardson and Mr. Jackson declared an interest and left the room for the discussion on Kirkstall Valley. The Chief Executive then outlined the main variations in the Mountleigh / LCDC proposals since the previous meeting.
19 June 1989 A private LCDC board meeting considered revised schemes. The resignation of Mr. Richardson was reported to Companies' House.
3 July 1989 Special private LCDC board meeting held to discuss Kirkstall Valley. Councillor Trickett reported on his meetings with Peter Hartley, David Trippier and the Kirkstall Valley Campaign. Leeds City Council would not fund offsite highway works and the scheme was revised to include: 100,000 sq ft retail plus residential development on the Mountleigh (i.e. Waddingtons ) and Headingley FC sites, car dealership on Kirkstall Road frontage, B1/commercial on the Burley Mills site and beyond, and industrial on the CEGB site. He thought the Kirkstall Valley Campaign had been very surprised by the reaction to their Planning for Real weekend, and hoped "to be able to further divide the opposition to the development by finding a commercially viable scheme on the lines of that above without seriously damaging off-site highway implications". Councillor Trickett was authorised to submit an outline planning application after further discussions with the LDC and the Kirkstall Valley Campaign.
10 July 1989 Ordinary meeting of the Leeds Schools Sports Association at Hunslet C. of E. Middle School. The executive reported inter alia on the Special General Meeting held on 22 May and on a subsequent meeting with Dibb Lupton (Solicitors) to discuss the failure of Mr. David Richardson to declare his other interests to the Association in respect of the Archie Gordon ground. This matter had been amicably resolved.
20 July 1989 Thirteenth LDC board meeting. The entire meeting took place in private and no agenda or minutes were published.
24 July 1989 Private LCDC board meeting. The resignation of Councillor J.L. Carter and the appointment of Councillors White and Campbell was reported to Companies' House.
August 1989 A consultative draft of the Leeds Waterways Strategy was released by Land Use Consultants for public discussion. The document was sponsored by LDC, LCC and British Waterways. The consultants had taken advice from BTCV, LUWG, EYE on the Aire, Leeds Civic Trust, Yorkshire & Humberside Sports Council, South Leeds Groundwork Trust and Kirkstall Valley Campaign. Although the document had some progressive ideas for maximising public access, and increasing the recreational and tourist uses of the river and the canal, the maps showed the whole of the LDC area in Kirkstall coloured a non-committal shade of grey.
21 August 1989 Private LCDC board meeting.
6 September 1989 Fourteenth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The entire meeting took place in private and no agenda or minutes were published. The Chief Executive reported on the impasse that existed between Mountleigh and LCDC over the content of the scheme. The joint developers would make available financial information to the LDC officers, and after further technical discussion Mr. Hartley would meet with Councillor Trickett. The board expressed continuing concern about the lack of proposals from the joint developers and urged them to come to a brisk conclusion. No personal interests were declared.
21 September 1989 Fifteenth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson & Watson). The entire meeting took place in private and no agenda or minutes were published. The Chief Executive reported that the LDC officers had received the financial appraisal of the Kirkstall Valley schemes from the joint developers, and a further meeting would be held shortly. Concern was expressed about poor publicity for the Corporation. It was agreed that in future the LDC planning meetings would be open to the public, and that minutes would be available for items taken in public. There was a report on the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and it was agreed that close consultation should take place with the City Council. A letter had been received that day from David Hunt (Minister of State for the Environment) urging, inter alia, a longer term view of the Kirkstall Valley.
25 September 1989 Private LCDC board meeting.
11 October 1989 Leeds Sports Council Executive noted the concern felt by the Leeds City Sports Federation about the loss of access to the River Aire if the Mountleigh scheme went ahead.
11 October 1989 First meeting between Councillor Illingworth and Fraud Squad officers. At this stage Illingworth knew few details of the Kirkstall Valley development schemes (since all the meetings had been in private) but was concerned about the declaration of pecuniary interests in relation to LDC and LCDC, and his inability to obtain details of LCC land sales and building contracts from LCC officers. He was also concerned by the amount of mis-information which had apparently been released in relation to these matters. He had very little evidence but feared a repetition of the Poulson affair. The police undertook to make discreet enquiries, and subsequently approached senior LCC officers. As a result of this the police involvement eventually became public knowledge, and some previously confidential files from the LCC Industry Department were made available for inspection.
18 October 1989 A Public Meeting in Kirkstall Middle School approved the "final version" of the Community Plan drafted by the Kirkstall Valley Campaign.
19 October 1989 The Leeds Development Corporation opened the first part of their sixteenth meeting to the Press and Public for the first time. The previous fifteen meetings were held in entirely private. Present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson. There were no Kirkstall items in the public part of the agenda, but after the press and public had been excluded the Chief Executive gave a comprehensive report on the latest position in the Kirkstall Valley. It was apparent from correspondence that the joint developers were unable to reach agreement and wished to submit separate planning applications for their individual land holdings. It was resolved that the joint developers should not be encouraged to submit separate applications, that LDC officers should be instructed to prepare a draft comprehensive plan for the valley, that public consultation should take place after the board had accepted the draft plan and that a dialogue should be established with the Kirkstall Valley Campaign. Mr. Richardson declared a continuing interest in this item. The board also received a report on the Leeds Waterways Strategy, noted the offer of £190,000 from the City Action Team and agreed to progress the brochure and to support a submission for a Tourist Development Action Plan (TDAP) to the English Tourist Board. The LDC Chief Executive presented a policy statement on declaration of directors interests which was adopted by the board.
20 October 1989 The Leeds Development Corporation announced that they would draw up a comprehensive development scheme for the Kirkstall Valley, which would probably include elements from both the Mountleigh/LCDC scheme and the KVC Community Plan.
16 November 1989 Seventeenth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board agreed to adopt the Leeds Waterways Strategy.
20 November 1989 A private LCDC board meeting requested a briefing note on Kirkstall Valley. The resignation of Mr. D.D. Turner was reported to Companies' House.
23 November 1989 Councillor Illingworth met the LCC Chief Executive (Mr. D. Ansbro) and was subsequently allowed to examine the previously confidential files from the LCC Industry Department.
8 December 1989 Further meeting between Councillor Illingworth & Mr. Ansbro.
14 December 1989 Eighteenth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson & Walker). The Chief Executive reported in public on the progress towards a planning framework for the Kirkstall Valley. Meetings were being held with interested parties and a draft should be ready in the spring. Mr. Richardson and Mr. Jackson declared a continuing interest in this item.
15 December 1989 (approximate date) Councillor Illingworth made a statement to Fraud Squad officers in Wakefield about the Mountleigh / LCDC development and Councillor Briggs simultaneously made an independent statement about the Costain's contract.
5 January 1990 Third meeting between Councillor Illingworth and Fraud Squad officers, who referred the matter to the District Auditor and Internal Audit for investigation.
8 January 1990 Disciplinary Hearing. Councillor Illingworth was suspended from the LCC Labour Group for six months, because he had not obtained political approval before speaking to the Fraud Squad.
16 January 1990 Councillors Illingworth & Briggs met with LCC Internal Audit to discuss Kirkstall Valley and the Costain's contract.
18 January 1990 Nineteenth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson & Walker). It was reported that David Trippier had launched the Leeds Waterways Strategy document. No Kirkstall items on the public agenda.
7 February 1990 The appointed members of the LCC Policy & Resources Committee (Cllrs. Trickett, Campbell, Lyons and Mrs. White) met with Press and Public excluded to consider an Internal Audit report into the Costain's contract. They issued a Press Release stating that the report exonerated the Council, and decided that there should be no further investigation into the Kirkstall Valley. The Internal Audit report has not been published.
14 February 1990 Councillors Illingworth & Briggs met the District Auditor to discuss Kirkstall Valley and the Costain's contract. The District Auditor enquired into the LCC involvement, but was unable to examine the LDC or LCDC records.
15 February 1990 Twentieth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). No Kirkstall items on the agenda.
March 1990 The Kirkstall Valley Campaign published their illustrated brochure on the Community Plan.
15 March 1990 Twenty first LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Gunnell, Jackson, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board received their first report on the Tourist Development Action Plan (TDAP) for the Leeds Waterways Corridor. After excluding the Press & Public, the board agreed to pay for further consultancy work on the Kirkstall Valley. No interests were declared.
3 April 1990 LCC Policy & Resources Committee agreed to publish the Draft Green Strategy for public consultation.
19 April 1990 Twenty second LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). A small application was approved for Abbey Hire on Kirkstall Road. No other Kirkstall items on the public agenda.
April 1990 The Kirkstall Valley Campaign started work on pollution monitoring on the River Aire, after a presentation by Susan Marsden from "EYE on the Aire".
2 May 1990 The river pollution monitoring proposals from the Kirkstall Valley Campaign were featured on BBC TV "Look North".
8 May 1990 Kirkstall Valley Campaign were voted second in the Times/Radio 4 Environment Awards.
17 May 1990 Presentation by Kirkstall Valley Campaign on the Community Plan to the Leeds Development Corporation.
17 May 1990 Twenty third LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). No Kirkstall items on the agenda.
21 May 1990 The appointment of Mr. T. Hawkins and Mr. P. Collins (Elida Gibbs) to the LCDC board was reported to Companies' House.
1 June 1990 A letter was sent from the District Auditor to LCC reporting the results of his investigations into the Kirkstall Valley and the Costain's contract. His enquiries had been confined to LCC and did not include either LDC or LCDC. He concluded that there had been no illegality by LCC officers or elected members, but observed that the conduct of the Council "had almost invited questions" and noted that LCC internal procedures had since been tightened. His report was not released to the ordinary council members.
13 June 1990 Presentation by Kirkstall Valley Campaign on the Community Plan to the Labour Planning Group on Leeds City Council.
21 June 1990 Twenty fourth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board agreed their draft Planning Framework for the Kirkstall Valley, and this was formally launched by Tim Eggar MP on the following day. Mr. Richardson declared an interest in this item.
4 July 1990 LCC Policy & Resources Committee agreed to establish the Leeds Initiative, a partnership between Leeds City Council, key sectors of the city and central government. The membership initially included Cllrs. J. Trickett & D.E. Hudson, D. Ansbro, M. Burrell and Helen Pickering (LCC); J. Jackson, P. Coles-Johnson, P. Collins, D. Richardson and V. Watson (Leeds Chamber of Commerce); P. Hartley and M. Eagland (LDC); J. Henry, R. Parr, J. Walker and E. Wright (Leeds/Bradford City Action Team); Professor A. Wilson (Leeds University); C. Price and Professor M. Campbell (Leeds Polytechnic); Sir Gordon Linacre (Leeds TEC and Yorkshire Post Newspapers) and Clive Leach (YTV).
5 July 1990 Reception and presentation by the Kirkstall Valley Campaign at Armley Mills Industrial Museum to launch their river pollution monitoring proposals.
19 July Twenty fifth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood & Watson). No Kirkstall items were discussed.
27 July 1990 The LCC Highways Committee endorsed a Transport Policies and Programme (TPP) document containing proposals for an Armley - Kirkstall link road.
9 August 1990 The appointed members of the LCC Policy and Resources Committee (Councillors Trickett, Miller and Andrew Carter) considered an Internal Audit report and the District Auditor's report (received on 1 June 1990) on Kirkstall Valley and the Costain's Contract. Neither document was released to the public or the other councillors.
16 August 1990 Twenty sixth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood & Watson). An application from LCDC for a temporary change of use on the caretaker's cottage at Burley Mills was deferred for enquiries into a possible continued housing use. Mr. Jackson declared an interest.
20 September 1990 Twenty seventh LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Richardson, Walker & Watson). Temporary permission granted to LCDC on the caretaker's cottage at Burley Mills. After exclusion of the press & public the Chairman reported on the visit by Michael Portillo M.P. which had taken place on the previous day. It was agreed that the Chairman write to the minister setting out the board's views and arguing for an extended life and extra resources for the Kirkstall Valley. No interests were declared.
18 October 1990 Twenty eighth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Richardson & Walker). The board granted temporary permission to National Grid Co for a car park at Redcote Lane. After exclusion of the press and public the Chairman reported that he had written to Michael Portillo as agreed at the previous meeting seeking extra resources for the Kirkstall Valley and an extended life. Members agreed that a proposed feasibility study by Leeds University into the Kirkstall Valley Research Park would be premature until the resource position was clear. It was agreed to give £100 to Kirkstall Festival. No interests were declared in these items.
15 November 1990 Twenty ninth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). No Kirkstall items were discussed.
20 November 1990 Meeting between Martin Eagland and D.E. Hudson, Heath Innes & P.W. Squire (from Headingley FC) at the LDC offices to discuss the Draft Planning Framework for the Kirkstall Valley.
26 November 1990 LCDC (1983) Ltd adopted a Special Resolution at a private meeting, whereby LCC could appoint up to ten councillors as members of the company and could itself become a member entitled to receive profits. The resignation of Councillor Campbell and Mr. L.H. Silver and the appointment of Councillor Harris to the LCDC board was reported to Companies' House.
5 December 1990 Fax from PW Squire (representing Headingley FC) to Martin Eagland about the Draft Planning Framework. Mentions the meeting of 20 November 1990 and Councillor Mudie's 1988 offer of re-location sites.
13 December 1990 Thirtieth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board considered the results of their public consultation exercise on the Kirkstall Valley Draft Planning Framework, the written responses having been analysed by Leeds Polytechnic. It was agreed to add industrial units at Lennox Road, and small office and high tech units at Burley Mills, to add "community playing fields" to the possible uses of the land near George Lowes on Kirkstall Road, delete the Student Village near Bridge Road and add a Research Park off Redcote Lane. The feasibility study into the Research Park would be progressed. Mr. Richardson declared an interest in the item. After exclusion of the press and public the board agreed a programme of environmental works in the Kirkstall Valley, in conjunction with the City Action Team.
17 December 1990 Department of the Environment and Treasury officials confirmed by letter to LCC that the Costain's contract had breached EEC public sector procurement directives, and required a major revision of LCC standing orders. [It was the initial refusal by LCC officers to acknowledge this self-evident fact in April 1989 which ultimately led to the acrimonious 18-month dispute and the involvement of the police.]
January 1991 A group of "New Age Travellers" camped on the land next to George Lowe's engineering works on Kirkstall Road. Tyres were dumped and burned, and extensive damage was done to the goitside area. The slates were stripped from the stone house at 649, Kirkstall Road. Vociferous complaints were made to LCC and LCDC from the local residents, Kirkstall councillors and George Lowe Ltd.
17 January 1991 Thirty first LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). No Kirkstall items on the public agenda. After the press and public had been excluded, the Chief Executive, Marketing Director and Planning Director presented a series of reports on the steps necessary to implement the Kirkstall Valley Planning Framework, including infrastructure, property acquisition and environmental improvements. A budget of £400,000 + VAT was agreed for the initial programme. No interests were declared.
February 1991 The Leeds Transport Strategy (prepared with the assistance of Steer Davies Gleave) was published by Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, with the support of the Leeds Development Corporation. This strategy was subsequently incorporated into the Unitary Development Plan. It represented a significant shift away from new road construction towards traffic calming and a greater reliance on public transport, including light rail and guided bus. The study questioned the need for an Armley - Kirkstall link road, and proposed that this issue be reviewed,
6 February 1991 Private meeting between representatives from Mountleigh, Walker Morris, Bernard Thorpe, LDC and LCC about a proposed supermarket development at Bridge Road.
14 February 1991 Thirty second LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board agreed a community sponsorship grant of £1000 to the Kirkstall Valley Campaign towards their river pollution monitoring proposals.
20 February 1991 LCDC obtained an injunction against the new age travellers camped next to George Lowe's on Kirkstall Road, who left shortly afterwards. The fencing around the site was then extended by Lowe's Engineering.
20 March 1991 LCC Planning & Development Committee approved a joint report from the Directors of Planning and Leisure Services on the public consultation on the Nature Conservation Strategy and a mock-up of the final document. The committee referred both papers to the LCC Green sub-committee.
21 March 1991 Thirty third LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson & Walker). The board agreed three applications from Duffield Printers for office conversions at 419 and 421 Kirkstall Road. After the press and public had been excluded the board agreed to property acquisition at 385 Kirkstall Road (the PSA site) and 351 Kirkstall Road (Brimac Scaffolding) for a total of £640,000. Mr. Richardson declared an interest in this item.
18 April 1991 Thirty fourth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). After exclusion of the press and public the board agreed to appoint KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock to carry out the financial feasibility study for the Kirkstall Valley Research Park based on a tender estimate of £18,000.
May 1991 The Royal College of Physicians published a report on Medical Aspects of Exercise which recognised the health benefits and the resource implications of providing adequate facilities.
16 May 1991 Thirty fifth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). No Kirkstall items on the public part of the agenda.
24 May 1991 Mountleigh submitted an outline planning application 91/24/181/99 for housing on the Waddingtons factory site and playing field near Bridge Road.
4 June 1991 The House of Commons Education, Science and Arts Committee published the Fourth Report on Sport in Schools. The committee drew attention to the loss of school and other playing fields to development and encouraged the joint use of sports facilities by schools and community groups.
20 June 1991 Thirty sixth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). After excluding the press and public the board received a report on the UDP, and agreed that LDC officers should be instructed to advise Leeds City Council to take full account of the Corporation's strategic plan and planning frameworks. The Chief Executive advised the board of the possibility that a European Trading Standards Research Facility for toys might be established in the Kirkstall Valley.
27 June 1991 The LCC Highways Committee abandoned the Kirkstall Valley section of the Armley - Kirkstall link road, but retained an interest in future rail expansion.
1 July 1991 The LCC Plans West Sub-committee initially supported the Mountleigh application 91/24/181/99 for housing near Bridge Road.
10 July 1991 LCC Policy & Resources Committee approved the final draft of the Leeds Green Strategy. This document covered an enormous range of environmental issues, and included in particular a commitment to Freedom of Information and the establishment of the Leeds Environmental Action Forum (LEAF).
11 July 1991 Thirty seventh LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Gunnell, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board indicated that they were minded to grant outline planning permission to Mountleigh Northern Developments for housing on the Waddingtons site (application 91/24/181/99) subject to agreement on satisfactory flood protection measures and the inclusion of an appropriate amount of community open space. Mr. Richardson declared an interest in this item. After exclusion of the press and public the Planning Director sought approval to implement a nature reserve in the Kirkstall Valley. The board resolved to seek permission for the reserve, and appoint RPS Clouston to prepare detailed drawings and tender documents, and to authorise the letting of a contract for an estimated cost of £160,000 plus a commuted sum of £125,000 to establish a management trust.
18 July 1991 Planning application number 91/24/257/99 submitted by the Leeds Development Corporation to establish a Nature Reserve on the former Kirkstall power station ash tips and the river island.
24 July 1991 The National Rivers Authority wrote to the Secretary of State for the Environment requesting him to "call in" the Mountleigh application 91/24/181/99 until the flooding risk had been properly evaluated.
12 August 1991 LCC Plans West Sub-committee gave further consideration to the Mountleigh scheme, and agreed to support housing only on the former factory site, supported the NRA's request for a "call in" and recommended that all the playing fields at Bridge Road should be retained.
15 August 1991 Thirty eighth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Walker & Watson). The board gave further consideration to the Mountleigh application 91/24/181/99 for housing at Bridge Road. The Planning Director reported that 247 comments had been received. It was agreed to ask the applicant to amend the proposals to exclude the former private playing field and to indicate to the applicant that the board would be prepared to grant planning permission subject to condition and a section 106 agreement dealing with access to undeveloped land owned by Leeds Schools Sports Association and Headingley FC. No interests were declared. The board approved the application 91/24/257/99 from RPS Clouston for a nature reserve in the Kirkstall Valley.
15 August 1991 LDA internal memo PRG/RG/WI from R. Green to Mark Turnbull mentioned the possible re-location of Headingley FC from Kirkstall to LCC land at Shadwell. (See LCC Deed Packet 50947, title number WYK 153925)
19 August 1991 LCDC submitted an outline planning application 91/24/310/99 for housing and a fast-food restaurant on the land next to George Lowes engineering works on Kirkstall Road.
September 1991 Definitive Planning Policy Guidance on Sport and Recreation (PPG17) was published by the Department of the Environment. This document underlined the need for playing fields, recreation facilities and public open space.
11 September 1991 Councillor Illingworth wrote to the LDC asking them to take enforcement action in respect of the illegal soil stripping from the Waddingtons playing field since the four year period for enforcement action was about to expire.
19 September 1991 Thirty ninth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Walker & Watson). The Chief Executive reported on the unauthorised soil stripping from the former Waddingtons factory site in Kirkstall. He said the matter was receiving urgent attention, but the board requested more information before deciding on enforcement action. No interests were declared. After exclusion of the press and public the Planning Director sought approval for a new footpath and boardwalk from St Ann's Mills to Burley Mill Goit, but a decision was deferred for further consultation with interested parties.
19 September 1991 Mountleigh submitted an outline planning application number 91/24/355/99 for student accommodation on the former Waddingtons factory site and playing field near Bridge Road.
October 1991 Leeds City Council published a substantial colour brochure on its "Green Strategy", which included commitments to public consultation and the preservation of open space in new developments.
17 October 1991 Fortieth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Jackson, Richardson & Walker). The Planning Director reported on the soil stripping from the former Waddingtons site at Bridge Road. It was agreed that no enforcement action be taken in relation to the alleged removal of topsoil from the above site and that negotiations be pursued with the current site owners and applicants (Mountleigh) in order to remedy the unauthorised works as part of their overall development. No interests were declared. After exclusion of the press and public the Chief Executive reported on issues associated with land acquisition and infrastructure implementation in the Kirkstall Valley, indicating that the Research Park proposal had been deflected elsewhere by the University and the Polytechnic. His report was noted. Members approved contracts for road improvements at Redcote Lane costing £40,550 and for demolition of the former PSA building at 385 Kirkstall Road.
21 October 1991 LCC Plans West Sub-committee considered the outline planning application 91/24/310/99 from LCDC for residential development and a fast food restaurant on the land next to George Lowe's on Kirkstall Road, and recommended that the Leeds Development Corporation approve the scheme.
11 November 1991 LCC Plans West Sub-committee considered the outline planning application 91/24/355/99 from Mountleigh Northern for student accommodation on the Waddingtons site near Bridge Road, and recommended that the playing field should be retained and development confined to the former factory site.
21 November 1991 LCDC submitted full planning application 91/24/492/99 for 614 student flats and a fast food takeaway on the Kirkstall Road frontage. The scheme was constrained by the brick sewer beneath the site, and achieved record housing densities with very limited open space. The application required a newspaper advertisement with a 21 day objection period since it was a departure from the 1972 Development Plan Review.
21 November 1991 Forty first LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). Members approved an application 91/24/416/99 to provide a car park for the Kirkstall Nature Reserve. After exclusion of the press and public members considered a detailed report on the implications of abandoning the Kirkstall Research Park.
22 November 1991 Mike Hollows (LCDC) met the Kirkstall councillors to discuss the LCDC student flats application.
29 November 1991 LCC Planning Officers attempted (unsuccessfully) to persuade Councillor Miller to take the LCDC flats application as a late item at the Plans West Sub-committee on 2 December 1991, in advance of the statutory public consultation period.
11 December 1991 Public meeting about the student flats on Kirkstall Road organised by the Kirkstall Valley Campaign at Kirkstall Middle School. No support was forthcoming for the proposals. The meeting adopted a resolution proposed by Councillor Minkin asking for the LCDC application to be withdrawn.
19 December 1991 Forty second LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson & Walker). After a request from Leeds City Council, members deferred consideration of the LCDC application 91/24/492/99 for student accommodation on Kirkstall Road, but approved an advertising sign for Kirkstall Kommercials (used vehicle sales).
23 December 1991 LCC Plans West Sub-committee agreed to support the LCDC student flats application on the basis of an officer's verbal report. The officers did not transmit the request for a site visit from Councillor Illingworth to the committee.
24 December 1991 Formal planning application 91/24/538/99 from Haiste Ltd. to lay out the "missing link" in the Goitside Walks, thereby completing the original Kirkstall Village Community Programme scheme. A draft plan for the boardwalk had been previously circulated and was strongly supported by local community groups. This scheme was subsequently abandoned (without announcement) when the LDC ran out of money.
January 1992 The Draft Unitary Development Plan was circulated in confidence to Leeds City Council members.
16 January 1992 Forty third LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board gave themselves permission for the footpath and boardwalk 91/24/538/99.
20 January 1992 Mike Hollows (LCDC) met the Kirkstall Valley Campaign executive to discuss the revised student housing scheme on Kirkstall Road.
23 January 1992 Presentation by Kirkstall Valley Campaign to the Association of Community Technical Aid Centres (ACTAC) in London, supported by RIBA.
29 January 1992 Members of the KVC executive met Leeds Polytechnic Officers to discuss the student flats application on Kirkstall Road.
29 January 1992 Two letters from David Simmonds (planning consultant) expressing developer interest in the land at Shadwell Grange Farm owned by the PAH Hartley 1972 Settlement. (This site is immediately adjacent to Mr. Hartley's own house and the land identified for the relocation of Headingley FC from Kirkstall.)
30 January 1992 Preliminary notice of the student flats contract published by LCDC in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
31 January 1992 The LCC City Engineer reported to the Road Safety Sub-Committee on Poverty and child road casualties: a causal relationship. His report drew attention to the tenfold disparity between accident rates in congested central areas when compared with the surrounding suburbs, and to the serious shortage of inner city playspace.
3 February 1992 Planning application 92/30/36 submitted for the re-location of the Leeds RUFC (formed by the amalgamation of Headingley FC and Roundhay RUFC) from Bridge Road in Kirkstall to LCC land in the Green Belt at Shadwell, immediately adjacent to sites owned by Mr. PAH Hartley and the Trustees of the PAH Hartley 1972 Settlement.
5 February 1992 Public meeting about the student flats organised by LCDC and Leeds Polytechnic at Kirkstall Middle School. There was no public support for the revised proposals. The meeting asked for the application to be withdrawn.
7 February 1992 Full notice of the student flats contract published by LCDC in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
10 February 1992 Four members of the LCC Plans West Sub-committee (Councillors Miller, Dale, Wheatley & Shaw) visited the Goitside Walk Extension. Later that day the sub-committee agreed to support the revised LCDC student flats application.
20 February 1992 Forty fourth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Gunnell, Jackson, Lockwood, Walker & Watson). The board agreed the LCDC application number 91/24/491/99 for student flats and fast food takeaway (with conditions). There were over 100 individual objections, including EYE on Aire, local councillors and the Kirkstall Valley Campaign. Mr. Jackson declared an interest. A local resident subsequently complained to the Local Government Ombudsman. After exclusion of the press and public, the Planning Director reported on the Draft UDP.
4 March 1992 Mountleigh submitted a duplicate application 92/24/85/99 for residential development on the former Waddingtons factory site and playing field at Bridge Road. They negotiated on this second application while continuing to appeal to the Secretary of State against non-determination of the original application.
12 March 1992 Tim Eggar MP visited the Kirkstall Nature Reserve for a tree planting ceremony with local schoolchildren and BTCV.
15 March 1992 First "open day" to allow the public to see the progress on the Kirkstall Nature Reserve.
19 March 1992 Forty fifth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Walker & Watson). The board granted permission for a toilet and cesspool to Kirkstall Kommercials, application 92/24/5/99. After the press and public had been excluded the board agreed to dispose of 2.5 acres of land at 385 Kirkstall Road to GMI Rovinian Ltd for £965,500 and to seek permission for a 12,000 sq ft supermarket and 4310 sq ft fast food outlet with 119 car parking spaces in accordance with a drawing submitted by GMI Rovinian. It was also agreed to make a compulsory purchase order for a small area of land needed for the goitside walk extension. Mr. Jackson declared an interest in this item.
9 April 1992 General Election. John Battle M.P. was re-elected to represent West Leeds, Councillor John Gunnell was elected to represent Morley & Leeds South, and Councillor George Mudie was elected to represent East Leeds.
16 April 1992 Forty sixth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Gunnell, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). The board granted outline planning permission for housing at Bridge Road to Mountleigh Northern Developments on application 92/24/85/99 subject to a section 106 agreement restricting development of the former Waddingtons sports field until the flooding question was resolved. Mountleigh's appeal on 91/24/181/99 was suspended. Local residents complained to the Local Government Ombudsman. After exclusion of the press and public the Chief Executive reported on the Tourist Development Action Programme, and concern was expressed about bad management and poor value for money. The resignation of Cllr. Gunnell was reported to the board, following his election to Parliament.
13 May 1992 Kirkstall Valley Properties were first incorporated as Largedrive Ltd.
14 May 1992 The Leeds Draft Unitary Development Plan was released by LCC for public consultation. Responses were initially required before 3 July, but this period was subsequently extended in view of the large numbers of comments being received.
21 May 1992 Forty seventh LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Jackson, Lockwood, Walker & Watson). No Kirkstall items on the public agenda.
22 May 1992 First meeting between Crouch Butler Savage and LDC to discuss initial proposals from Largedrive for development at Bridge Road.
25 May 1992 The Mountleigh group went into receivership.
4 June 1992 Reception with Lord Peel at Duffields Printers on Kirkstall Road to mark the transfer of the Kirkstall Nature Reserve to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
17 June 1992 LCC Highways and Transportation Committee agreed to place the draft A65 improvement line "on deposit" for formal public consultations.
18 June 1992 Forty eighth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Walker & Watson). "Deemed consent" given for the re-development of the former Property Services Agency (PSA) site at 385 Kirkstall Road, which had been purchased by the Development Corporation. Local councillors had suggested that the site could form playing fields for the new Kirkstall Valley primary school (opposite), but the LDC board agreed to retail development and fast food in accordance with their confidential agreement with GMI Rovinian on 19 March. No interests were declared. After the press and public had been excluded the Chairman reported on the press cuttings particularly a letter from Councillor Illingworth in the publication "Kirkstall Matters" and the Chief Executive reported on advice received from the Corporation's solicitors in this connection. It was agreed to note the cuttings and the Chairman write to Councillor Trickett about the matter. The complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman about the Student Flats on Kirkstall Road and the Housing at Bridge Road were reported to the board. It was agreed to give the Chief Executive authority to appeal against the improvement line on Kirkstall Road which affected the Netto development on the former PSA site by GMI Rovinian. Mr. Watson's resignation was reported to the board.
3 July 1992 Main developer interest submission 5E/7/21 from David Simmonds on green belt land at Shadwell owned by the PAH Hartley 1972 Settlement. He claimed that the re-location of Leeds RUFC from Kirkstall strengthened the case for development.
6 July 1992 Public launch of Leeds RUFC, which was formed by amalgamation of Headingley FC and Roundhay RUFC.
23 July 1992 Forty ninth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood & Walker; apologies from Mr. Kenny). After exclusion of the press and public, the Chairman reported (i) that Councillor Trickett had been appointed to the board to replace Councillor Gunnell, and (ii) on correspondence from Councillor Illingworth. The Director of Planning reported on issues relating to the UDP, and it was agreed that the City Council be requested to amend the UDP so as to include inter alia the LDC proposals for the Kirkstall Valley. No interests were declared.
29 July 1992 First meeting between Robin Lawler (Leeds Partnership Homes) and Howard Riley (Bowman Riley Partnership) to discuss housing proposals at Bridge Road.
31 July 1992 Joint meeting between LDC Director of Planning, Mountleigh Northern (in receivership) and Crouch Butler Savage to discuss the future of the Bridge Road site. (Alan Goodrum, Brian Thompson & Geoffrey Barrett?). Formal end to the LCC public consultation period on the draft UDP, although further responses were accepted during August.
18 August 1992 Letter 5126/13/GB from Geoffrey Barrett (Crouch Butler Savage) to Martin Eagland (LDC) about the Kirkstall Valley Properties scheme at Bridge Road. Refers to ongoing discussions and correspondence with Alan Goodrum, Stuart Kenny & Bob Wolfe since 22 May. A Site Acquisition Status Report with the same date was attached to the letter. This mentions active negotiations with Howard Mallinson who was now Mountleigh's receiver (!), and with David Richardson of Weatherall Green & Smith. The report states that the re-location of the rugby club to Shadwell is conditional on their obtaining commercial values at Bridge Road.
20 August 1992 Fiftieth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Trickett & Walker) The Chairman welcomed John Trickett to his first board meeting. No Kirkstall items on the agenda.
3 September 1992 The Largedrive name was changed to Kirkstall Valley Properties.
9 September 1992 Planning application 99-24/5/92 submitted by Netto foodstores for the former PSA site on Kirkstall Road. This application included three complementary food retail units (26,000 sq ft and 147 car park spaces) forming a "one stop" shopping facility. The fast food outlet previously agreed in June 1992 was deleted.
17 September 1992 Board meeting of Leeds Partnership Homes agreed to pursue their interest in the Bridge Road site, subject to a number of matters being resolved. These included cross-subsidy from the commercial development to the housing scheme, land assembly, and the involvement of community groups.
17 September 1992 Fifty first LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Trickett & Walker). No Kirkstall items.
18 September 1992 (7.45pm) Informal meeting between Councillor Illingworth and David Denton in a city centre pub to discuss Kirkstall Valley Properties proposals.
21 September 1992 Letter from Robin Lawler to Howard Riley setting out the position of Leeds Partnership Homes on the Bridge Road proposals.
30 September 1992 (6pm) Meeting between Councillor Illingworth, Peter Brindle (local vicar) David Denton (Kirkstall Valley Properties) and Geoffrey Barrett (Crouch Butler) in the West End public house to discuss "initial" proposals from Kirkstall Valley Properties at Bridge Road. No detailed plans were available.
30 September 1992 (9pm) Meeting at Milford ARLFC (G. Barrett, K. Brown, D. Denton, W. Dove, J. Illingworth and others) to consider proposals for the Elida Gibbs ground. It was agreed to establish a working party to examine ways of meeting Milford's playing field requirements.
2 October 1992 Cllr. Illingworth met Mr. Robinson & Mr. Williams from LCC City Engineer's Department on the Archie Gordon Ground to discuss pitch re-instatement and financial compensation for LSSA. The pitch had been damaged near Bridge Road as a result of the engineering works for the Rodley Sewage transfer scheme. A subsequent letter from Mr. Cotton to Cllr. Ryatt summarised the results of this meeting.
6 October 1992 West Yorkshire Waste Management submitted planning application 99-24/8/92 for a Waste Materials Reclamation Facility (MRF) at Evanston Avenue. At the request of the LDC, the application was accompanied by an EEC Environmental Impact Assessment, prepared in accordance with DoE circular 15/88.
15 October 1992 Fifty second LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Lockwood, Trickett & Walker). The members supported the Netto supermarket application 99-24/5/92 in principle, but deferred a decision until highway issues had been resolved with Leeds City Council. They also agreed a revised application 92/24/85/99 from Mountleigh's receivers, changing the access arrangements to the former Waddingtons site. The changes were caused by Mountleigh's inability to agree a scheme with Headingley FC and the Leeds Schools Sports Association, who were anxious to develop their own sites. Cllr. Trickett declared an interest in this item as the Chairman of LCDC.
20 October 1992 Public meeting in Leeds Civic Hall to discuss the A65 (Kirkstall Road) improvement line published by LCC.
22 October 1992 Meeting between Councillor Illingworth, David Denton, Ray Palmer and John Brown in the Queens Hotel, Leeds to discuss the Kirkstall Valley Properties plans.
9 November 1992 Direction from the Secretary of State to Leeds City Council not to determine the Shadwell application 92/30/36 while a "call in" was considered.
10 November 1992 LCC Plans East Sub-committee rejected the LCC planning officers' cautious recommendation to support the Shadwell application 92/30/36, and referred the matter to the full LCC Planning Committee.
19 November 1992 Fifty third LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Trickett & Walker). The board began a preliminary consideration of the West Yorks Waste Management Materials Reclamation Facility (MRF) at Evanston Avenue (application number 99-24/8/92) and agreed to make a site visit before reaching a final decision. After the press & public were excluded the board considered the LCC response to their concerns about the UDP which were raised at their meeting on 23 July, principally car parking policy and the need to adopt the LDC planning framework for the Kirkstall Valley. They agreed to object to the UDP unless adequate progress were made in the next three months. No personal interests were declared.
17 December 1992. Fifty fourth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Lockwood, Richardson, Trickett & Walker). After a site visit, members approved the MRF at Evanston Avenue subject to conditions.
January 1993 Formal public consultation by the National Rivers Authority on their Draft Catchment Management Plan for the River Aire.
4 January 1993 Leeds Rugby Club application 92/30/36 at Shadwell was called in by the Secretary of State and a public inquiry was fixed for 5 June.
21 January 1993 Fifty fifth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Trickett & Walker). After exclusion of the Press and Public, the board agreed to sell the cleared site at 385 Kirkstall Road to Netto Foodstores Ltd for £692,150. They also received a presentation by Kirkstall Valley Properties Ltd in respect of their proposed retail and housing development at Bridge Road. It was agreed to note the report and invite the company to submit a planning application. Mr. Richardson declared an interest in this item.
10 February 1993 The full LCC Planning committee resolved to oppose the Leeds RUFC application 92/30/36 at the forthcoming public inquiry.
11 February 1993 Kirkstall Golf Centre Ltd submitted planning application 99-24/5/93 for a 9-hole golf course, golf driving range, clubhouse, parking and ancillary facilities on a 29 acre site owned by National Grid plc at Redcote Lane. The scheme involved the loss of the former CEGB soccer, rugby and cricket pitches serving the Kirkstall power station. LDC did not recognise this as a departure application (the land was zoned for industrial uses in the 1972 Development Plan Review) but LCC planning officers, acting outside their agency agreement with LDC, nevertheless advertised the scheme as a departure and thereby let the Development Corporation off the hook!
18 February 1993 Fifty sixth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Andrew Carter, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Trickett & Walker). Members agreed a temporary permission for the wardens hut on the Kirkstall Valley Nature Reserve 99-24/3/93/FU.
18 March 1993 Fifty seventh LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson, Trickett & Walker). Members agreed an application 99-24/1/93 for a small warehouse and office development at Wyther Lane.
22 March 1993 Agents for Leeds RUFC wrote to LCC abandoning the Shadwell scheme.
1 April 1993 Kirkstall Valley Properties Ltd submitted planning application 99-24/8/93/OT for retail and commercial leisure development on the whole of the Bridge Road site, including Leeds RUFC, LSSA and the former Waddingtons land. Objectors dubbed this as the Berkshire Plan. Mr. Richardson was named on the application as the agent for the LSSA and the Leeds RUFC.
6 April 1993 Mr. Eagland & Mr. Goodrum addressed the Leeds City Council UDP Panel, outlining the LDC Board's objection to the LCC draft statement on the Kirkstall Valley. The LDC position had been agreed on 19 November 1992.
8 April 1993 The Department of the Environment confirmed by letter to LCC that Leeds RUFC had abandoned the Shadwell project.
14 April 1993 Mr. Eagland wrote to Cllr. Walker outlining LDC policy on the UDP. The LDC threatened to involve the Secretary of State (which would have disrupted the entire UDP timetable) unless their wishes were granted.
15 April 1993 Fifty eighth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Holroyd, Jackson, Lockwood, Richardson & Walker). The board approved applications 99-24/5/93/FU and 99-24/6/3/SI for a 9-hole golf course and golf driving range at Redcote Lane.
19 April 1993 Leeds City Council UDP Panel agreed to dilute their original policy on the Kirkstall Valley after taking Counsel's advice. A new paragraph was added to the West Leeds section, agreeing to delete the protected land notations in Kirkstall if the LDC gave permission for development at Bridge Road. (The LDC had threatened to bring in the Secretary of State and disrupt the entire UDP timetable unless their wishes were granted.)
26 April 1993 First public exhibition on their proposals for the Bridge Road site by Kirkstall Valley Properties Ltd at the Headingley FC clubhouse. There were thirteen subsequent exhibitions at St Matthias Church Hall, Queenswood Social Club, Milford ARLFC, Wyther Park Community Centre, finishing on 11 May at the New Burley Club. These were associated with a public opinion survey conducted by Professor Green of Leeds Metropolitan University, on behalf of Kirkstall Valley Properties.
29 April 1993 Retail impact study by DTZ Debenham Thorpe submitted in connection with planning application 99-24/8/93. This draft version was subsequently revised.
May 1993 Definitive Catchment Management Plan for the River Aire published by the National Rivers Authority.
15 May 1993 (2pm) Members of the KVC executive pasted their 3 x 6 metre poster about their forthcoming public meeting on the "Berkshire Plan" to the illegal advertising hoarding outside the Headingley FC ground.
18 May 1993 Public meeting to discuss 99-24/8/93/OT organised by the Kirkstall Valley Campaign in the Leeds Postal Services Association Club, overlooking the site. Over 200 people attended the meeting, which voted unanimously to oppose the scheme.
19 May 1993 Letters from John Battle M.P. to Rt. Hon. Michael Howard M.P. (Secretary of State for the Environment) asking for 99-24/8/93/OT to be "called in" for a Public Inquiry, and to Mr. Ray Palmer (Kirkstall Valley Properties Ltd) expressing concern about the new proposals at Bridge Road.
20 May 1993 Fifty ninth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, Jackson, Lockwood, Trickett & Walker). The initial report from LDC planning officers on application 99-24/8/93/OT from Kirkstall Valley Properties recommended acceptance. LCC Highways officers faxed serious doubts about the Highways implications of the Bridge Road scheme to LDC, who deferred a decision on the Kirkstall scheme. The board also noted the LCC response to the LDC concerns about the UDP, and resolved to maintain their position on car parking and Kirkstall Valley.
2 June 1993 Mr. R.A. Ingram submitted planning application 99-24/13/93 for a "marina" (boat and caravan storage facility, including boat construction and maintenance) on the former CEGB coal store and canal basin off Redcote Lane. The canal itself, and the canal basin are a Site of Special Scientific Interest, because of the unusual plant and animal species found in this body of slowly moving, unpolluted water.
June 1993 The revised UDP was placed "on deposit" for formal objections.
14 June 1993 Special meeting of the Leeds Schools Sports Association at St. Mary's Church of England School, Hunslet to "approve the sale of the Archie Gordon sports ground". A decision was deferred on legal advice that the constitutional problem over the Association's membership should first be resolved.
17 June 1993 Sixtieth LDC board meeting (present: Hartley, Hardman, Andrew Carter, H