Development of a holiday and leisure park to include 173 holiday
lodges; 51 new-build holiday apartments; change of use of building to 4 holiday
apartments; a leisure hub building; re-configuration and renovation of industrial
units; provision of a private water treatment plant; and, associated car
parking, landscaping, access and internal access roads.
LOCAL MEMBERS:
Councillor Gareth Wyn Griffith and Councillor Ioan Thomas
Link
to relevant background documents
Additional documents:
Decision:
DECISION: To refuse – reasons
1. It is
not considered that sufficient information has been submitted as part of the
application to ensure that the proposal would not adversely affect the Welsh
Language and Culture. The proposal is
therefore contrary to the requirements of Policy PS1 of the Anglesey and
Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan 2017, together with the Supplementary
Planning Guidance on Maintaining and Creating Distinctive and Sustainable
Communities and TAN 20 Planning and the Welsh Language.
2. Sufficient
information has not been submitted as part of the application which sets out
how the proposal complies with Policy CYF 5 Alternative Uses of Existing
Employment Sites, and therefore the proposal does not comply with the
requirements of the Policy. The proposal
must therefore be considered contrary to the requirements of Policies CYF 1,
CYF 5 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan 2017 together
with the Supplementary Planning Guidance: Change of use of community facilities
and services, employment sites and retail units.
3. The
proposal is situated on an open and visible coastal site which forms the front
elevation of extensive views of Snowdonia from the Anglesey AONB. This
particular development falls within the LCA01 (Bangor Coastal Plain) Landscape
Character Area and the Landscape Sensitivity and Capacity Study notes that
within each area contributing to the National Park’s setting there is typically
no capacity for static caravan park / holiday lodge developments. However,
outside these areas there may be some capacity for small to very small holiday
lodges / caravan park developments that have been well designed and situated.
The Study defines very small developments as up to 10 units and small
developments between 10 - 25 units. The information on proposed landscaping is
sketchy and does not include sufficient detail to confirm that it would be
acceptable in terms of type and scale. To this end it is therefore considered
that the proposal is contrary to the requirements of criteria 1i) and1ii) of
policy TWR 3, point 3 of policy PS14 together with policies AMG 3 and PCYFF 4
of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan 2017 and the ‘Isle of
Anglesey, Gwynedd and Snowdonia National Park Landscape Sensitivity and
Capacity Study’ (Gillespies, 2014) as the proposal would lead to an abundance
of static caravan sites or permanent alternative camping sites and would have a
detrimental visual impact on the Anglesey AONB and the local landscape.
4. The Welsh Government’s Economy and Infrastructure Department has confirmed that it has a holding objection to ensure that arrangements can be made whereby vehicles will not accumulate on the A487 trunk road at peak times and the Council’s Transport Unit is concerned about the same impact. To this end, the Local Planning Authority is not convinced that the plan would provide a safe access to the proposal, and therefore it does not comply with the requirements of criterion 1iii) of policy TWR 3, nor policies TRA 1 and 2 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development ... view the full decision text for item 6
Minutes:
Attention was drawn to
the late observations form.
a)
The Development Control Team Leader elaborated on the
background of the application, and noted that it was an application to develop
a holiday and leisure park. It was explained that the application had been
split into two sections - including the former Ferodo site and the Plas
Brereton site. It was noted that the sites had been located along the banks of
the Menai Strait between Caernarfon and Felinheli, with the Lôn Las Menai cycle
path running through them forming the existing pedestrian/cycle link between
both sites. It was reiterated that the upper part of the sites abutted the A487
highway running from Caernarfon to Felinheli.
It was reported
that the site abutted a C2 flooding zone on the banks of the Menai Strait as
defined on development advice maps in relation to TAN 15 Development and Flood
Risk. The site was partly within the Plas Brereton Regional Wildlife Site and a
number of trees on the site were protected by Tree Preservation Order TPO0137:
Ferodo, Caernarfon and TPO0078 Bangor Road, Caernarfon. It was noted that two
Grade II Listed buildings at Plas Tŷ Coch and Tŷ Coch Farm Brick Arch
were situated 60m south of the site, whilst Llanidan Hall Park and Garden
(grade II* listed) was situated opposite the former Ferodo site, on Anglesey.
The site was situated approximately 1km east of the Anglesey Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the Menai Strait and Conwy Bay Special Areas of
Conservation were situated immediately to the North East of the site.
The development on
the Plas Brereton site included the following:
·
Demolition of old stable and coach house buildings
·
Conversion of Plas Brereton to 4 holiday units (3 one
bedroom and 1 three bedroom)
·
Installation of 18 holiday lodges
·
Tree works and felling
·
Use of existing roads within the site and provision of
some new roads
It was noted that the 'boathouse' building, which was
the subject of a change of
use for a café, had now been removed from the application.
The development on the former Ferodo factory
site included the following:
·
Demolition of part of the existing factory buildings
·
Refurbishment of premises for the provision of 9 units
for commercial use (use was not entirely clear but it was understood that it
would fall within B1/B2 class uses) with associated parking
·
Erection of new three-storey leisure hub building
comprising 51 1 and 2 bedroom holiday units plus leisure facilities including a
water park, bowling facilities, children’s soft play area, restaurant, café,
fast food, shop and health and well-being zone.
·
Provision of 155 holiday lodges
·
Tree works and felling
·
Provision of new roads
· Use of the existing car park ... view the full minutes text for item 6