Site of the Old Water Tower, Quarry Lane, Scarcroft, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS14 3HZ

Planning appeal 3372474 at Site of the Old Water Tower, Quarry Lane, Scarcroft, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS14 3HZ (Leeds City Council) was dismissed on 2 December 2025 by Inspector Willis M, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal meets the definition of a self-build dwelling and therefore the requirements of the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) exemption.

a change of use of land from Sui Generis Use associated with demolished water tower to residential for the construction of one new dwelling house with integral double garage (Use Class C3) with associated access, driveway and landscaping works

Authority: Leeds City Council
Appeal type: minor · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Change of use
Inspector: Willis M
Postcode: LS14 3HZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

Whether the proposal meets the definition of a self-build dwelling and therefore the requirements of the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) exemption

What decided it

The absence of a legally binding Section 106 planning obligation to secure the development as a self-build dwelling means it does not meet the definition of a self-build property and therefore fails to comply with Policy ID2 of the Leeds Local Plan Core Strategy.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies: Policy ID2 of the Leeds Local Plan Core Strategy (2014) (as amended by the Core Strategy Selective Review 2019)
National Planning Policy Framework: Paragraph 57

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

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The decision letter

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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.