Residential
Development of 30 Units (to include 12 affordable units) together with
infrastructure, parking spaces, access, footpaths and amenity area.
LOCAL MEMBER;
Councillor Gareth A Roberts
Additional documents:
Decision:
DECISION
·
To refer the application to a cooling off period
·
To refuse the application for the following reasons
• Lack of
need for housing
• Linguistic
Assessment is insufficient
• Flooding
matters
• Land
contamination matters
• Transportation matters – Penrhos Road
junction and also Penyffridd Road
• Insufficient
provision / contribution of open spaces
Minutes:
a)
The Planning Manager elaborated on the background of
the application and explained that the proposal was located in Penrhosgarnedd
and was a site previously used by Bangor University as a horticulture field
centre. Currently, it was a plot of
derelict and abandoned land that was overgrown and the site of the former field
centre building, demolished some time ago.
Residential housing surround the site, in the form of an estate and the
site was within the Bangor development boundary.
It was reported that the construction of housing on a site
within the development boundary was acceptable.
In the context of the
application, it was highlighted that the proposed density of the housing
development was a little lower than expected, however, bearing in mind the
limitations of the site that included the need to create a wildlife corridor,
retaining the copse, providing open amenity spaces together with safeguarding
an area for land drainage, it was considered that providing 30 units would be acceptable
for the site.
It was highlighted that Policy TAI 1 stated that housing would
be delivered through housing allocations together with suitable windfall sites
within the development boundary. It was true that the land in question had not been allocated for housing, but was entirely located
within the development boundary and there was an element of recognition
regarding the growth of Bangor via windfall sites.
It was noted that the Bangor indicative supply level over the
term of the Local Development Plan was 969. In accordance with more recent
figures (as a result of regular monitoring), that considered completed units,
the number in the current land bank and the number in the application, the
capacity/indicative target for the site was 10 units. To provide more than the
indicative target, it was explained that the applicant
had to submit a justification that satisfied the Council that the proposal
addressed the recognised need for housing. In this case, 12 of the proposed
units would be affordable housing (a higher percentage than policy requirement)
together with 18 units to be sold on the open market.
It was noted that the housing mix statement
corresponded to the need and the Council's Strategic Housing Unit had confirmed
that the 30 units were on the list of contingency schemes to receive Welsh
Government Community Housing grant bearing in mind that such a development was
a priority.
It was also noted
that the applicant had stated there was potential for some open market housing
to be offered as intermediate rented housing or as an equity
sharing scheme that would increase the number of accredited affordable
housing that would be offered. It was added that there
was an element of certainty that the proposal would be realised soon and address
the recognised need for housing in the area.
It was reported that the plan was of high
quality with the feeling and form of an estate that would provide housing for
families with plenty of surrounding green areas.
Attention was drawn to the main objections ... view the full minutes text for item 10