Issue - meetings

Erection of a new Aldi foodstore (Use Class A1), car park, access, servicing and landscaping

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elin Hywel

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To approve the application subject to the following conditions:

1.         Timescales

2.         In accordance with the approved plans.

3.         Materials in accordance with the plans unless otherwise agreed in advance with the Local Planning Authority.

4.         Retail conditions to restrict floor space area, no subdivision into smaller units.

5.         Shop opening times.

6.         Control of delivery times.

7.         Highways conditions in terms of completing the access, lane work, parking spaces and preventing surface water.

8.         Public protection conditions in terms of ventilation system/heat recovery unit, noise levels from mechanical equipment, barrier on the goods delivery bay.

9.         Building Control Plan

10.       Adhere to the mitigation measures in the Air Quality Assessment.

11.       Undertake the work in accordance with the landscaping plan and Soft Landscaping Maintenance and Management Plan, a need to replant within a period of five years.

12.       Welsh language improvement/mitigation measures/bilingual signage.

13.       In accordance with the lighting plan.

14.       In accordance with the Ecological Survey Report.

15.       In accordance with the Environmental Management Plan.

Notes:

1.         Large-scale development

2.         SUDS

3.         Highways - powers under Section 171/184 of the Highways Act 1980

4.         Observations from Welsh Water

5.         Observations from Public Protection

6.         Observations from NRW

Construction of a new Aldi food store (A1 use class), car park, access, 

servicing and landscaping

Some of the Members had visited the site on 10-11-23.

Attention was drawn to the late observations form which contained further information regarding a Sustainable Drainage System consent, a copy of a letter from JLL offering observations on the wording of parts of the report, the Policy Unit's response to said letter, and an explanatory note regarding the access. 

a)      The Development Control Team Leader highlighted that this was a full application to construct a new food store off the A499 Caernarfon Road, which is one of the main roads into and out of Pwllheli.  The proposal also included:

·         The creation of a new access onto Caernarfon Road together with 114 parking spaces, to include disabled and parent and child spaces, an electric vehicle charging point, motorcycle spaces and a secure storage for bicycles.

·         Provision of a walking/cycle path near Caernarfon Road and a zebra crossing.

·         Provision of a bus shelter opposite the site on Caernarfon Road.

·         Introduction of a lower speed limit of 30mph along Caernarfon Road.

·         Provision of an electricity sub-station

·         Soft landscaping work.

It was explained that the site was located within the town's development boundary - and formed part of a wider site allocated for housing (T28) in the Local Development Plan (LDP). It lay within the Llŷn and Enlli Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest and part of the site formed the candidate wildlife site of Penlon Caernarfon.

The officer referred to the assessment that had been made of the main matters, such as the development's impact on the housing allocation and on retail in the town centre.

Although the site had been allocated for housing in the LDP, a Viability Assessment had been received which stated, based on the current housing market, that it was not viable to develop the site for housing and that the applicant was stating that the proposal was essential to facilitate a residential provision on the site - it was unrealistic that any residential use would be brought forward in future without this development. Consequently, by introducing the alternative use of a supermarket the site would be unlocked, enabling some degree of residential development rather than none at all. It was also highlighted that the site had been marketed for residential use since 2020 and that no offers had been received on it. It was agreed that the development of part of the site for the proposed retail use facilitated the opportunity for the rest of the designation to be brought forward for the expected residential use, and based on evidence submitted with the application, that a departure from the LDP's relevant housing policies could be justified in this case.

In the context of the proposal's impact on existing shops and Pwllheli town centre, it was highlighted that Planning Policy Wales (PPW) stated that the need for a store may be quantitative or qualitative, but precedence should be given to establishing the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6