Decision status: Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Recommend that the appeal is refused on the following basis:
1.
The
proposal is contrary to the requirements of Policy ISA3 of the Gwynedd and
Anglesey Joint Local Development Plan (2017) which states that the sequential
test should be adopted when determining the location of proposals for further
and higher education with priority given firstly to existing further or higher
education sites or, secondly, on sites which have a close association with an
existing campus. On this basis, it is considered that the proposal does not
comply with criteria 1 and 2 of Policy ISA3 of the LDP or with national
policies based on the requirements of 'Future Wales: The National Plan 2040
(2021)' and 'Building Better Places: The Planning System Delivering Resilient
and Brighter Futures' (July 2020).
2.
The
proposal is contrary to the requirements of Policy PS13 and CYF1 of the
Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan (2017) which states that land
and units on existing employment sites (Parc Menai is
listed in the Policy) are safeguarded for employment/business enterprises.
3.
The proposal
is contrary to the requirements of Policy PCYF 5 of the Gwynedd and Anglesey
Joint Local Development Plan 2017 and Supplementary Planning Guidance: Change
of Use of Community Facilities and Services, Employment Sites and Retail Units
(2021), which states that proposals to release land on existing employment
sites that are protected for Use Class B1, B2 or B8 in accordance with Policy
PCYF1 for alternative use will only be approved in exceptional circumstances.
Based on the information submitted with the application (and the separate
reason for refusal, based on Policy ISA 3), the Local Planning Authority does
not consider that exceptional circumstances have been proven. Furthermore, and
without robust marketing activity and robust evidence regarding why buildings
cannot be adapted to overcome the matters identified, there is no
evidence that the site is unlikely to be used in the short or long term for the
original use or safeguarding use, and that there is no viable business or
industrial use for the site. In addition, there is no over-provision of
employment sites within the vicinity; educational use would have a detrimental
impact on employment use in nearby sites and the Local Planning Authority is
not convinced that other suitable alternative sites exist for the proposed
purpose.
4.
The
proposal is contrary to the requirements of Policy PCYFF2 of the LDP, which
states that proposals will be refused if: (i) they
have a significant detrimental impact on health, safety or amenities of the
owners of local property, land uses or other property or the features of the
local area due to an increase in activities, noise disturbance, litter or other
forms of pollution or disturbance and (ii) land that has been designated for
other developments. It is anticipated
that the nature of the use of the further and higher education facility would
increase the noise/disturbance and movements of pedestrians/students within and
around the site, e.g. during lunch hours or free lectures.
Publication date: 06/09/2021
Date of decision: 06/09/2021
Decided at meeting: 06/09/2021 - Planning Committee
Accompanying Documents: