Final seal of approval for Leeds Arena and Woodhouse Lane car park plans

Planning chiefs have given the final seal of approval to detailed designs for the Leeds Arena - and approved proposals to improve the ageing Woodhouse Lane car park. Members of the Leeds city centre plans panel have approved final detailed plans for the 13,500-capacity venue off Clay Pit Lane, which could be worth £25 million year to the city centre economy . The panel also approved £5.8 million plans to refurbish Woodhouse Lane car park, which will act as one of the two key Leeds Arena car parks once the venue opens in early 2013. The other main arena car park is at the Merrion Centre. Councillors sitting on the plans panel gave their enthusiastic support to the £80 million arena project - although they did raise a number of minor issues. Headingley Liberal Democrat Martin Hamilton said although he thought the design of the building was first-rate, he raised concerns about the planting of a wildflower meadow in one of the undeveloped spaces on the site. He said: "The design is head and shoulders above anything else in the city, it's up there amongst the best in the country and competes with the top arenas in Europe. "But one man's wildflower meadow is another man's bunch of weeds. I'm not sure about the meadow - it would need to be properly maintained as it's on one of the entrances to the site. It depends how long it will be there before someone comes along to develop it." Farnley and Wortley Green party councillor David Blackburn agreed that the meadow needed looking after properly if it wasn't 'going to turn into a scruffy mess.' Headingley Liberal Democrat James Monaghan said: "The design is there. I have no problems with it, although it does seem to resemble Darth Vader's helmet a little to me!" Guiseley and Rawdon Conservative Graham Latty added: "I quite like it - and to be honest I didn't expect to." Woodhouse Lane car park improvements approved Councillors also agreed to repair and improve an ageing city centre car park which will also serve events at the Leeds Arena. The work to Woodhouse Lane car park will involve essential concrete repair and strengthening work and the creation of a new stair and lift tower and a pedestrian access bridge will be built. Improved lighting and CCTV surveillance will be installed and better access created for traffic going in and out of the car park due to the existing pay on foot system being changed to a pay and display system. James Monaghan said: "I broadly support the improvements - it's a dreadful car park, a real eyesore, at the moment. "The lighting scheme looks boring though. A more modern and contemporary lighting scheme would make it more much more attractive. This will be the area of Leeds that visitors to the city will see when they come to visit, it needs to be the best it can be." Graham Latty backed the calls over lighting, he said better lighting would 'tart it up' and 'link it to the arena colourwise'. Councillors also called for a nearby pedestrian tunnel to be improved. The car park was originally built in 1968. Council administration welcomes decision After the meeting, councillor Richard Lewis , executive member responsible for city development welcomed both the arena and car park decisions. He added: "This is a major step forward for the arena project. It means that all the necessary planning and licensing approvals have been secured and everything is in place for building work to start in the spring. "It was extremely encouraging to receive the positive response to the external and internal designs of the building and the Leeds Arena design will add something really special to Leeds. "More importantly, this is great news for the local businesses and residents and all those people who will benefit from this project, from the hundreds of jobs it will secure, to the huge economic and regeneration benefits it will bring to the city." The external honeycomb design will use a unique LED lighting system to create a changing kaleidoscope of coloured lights which will come alive on an evening and change colour or pattern to reflect the mood of the arena event at the time. The Leeds Arena will open early 2013. The venue will be a unique 'super theatre' fan shape design which developers say guarantees every seat in the house perfect sightlines of the centre stage - 68 metres the longest distance from the stage as opposed to 90-110 metres at a conventional arena. What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.