Issue - meetings

Residential development and associated infrastructure works 

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillor Iwan Huws and Councillor Sasha Williams

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To delegate powers to the Head of Planning to approve the application, subject to a further assessment of the need for an educational contribution and to an appropriate 106 Agreement if required. The permission will be subject to the following conditions:

1.     Commence within five years

2.     Development to comply with the approved plans

3.     Must submit and agree on a programme for providing affordable housing

4.     Must agree on external materials including the roofing slates

5.     Removal of permitted development rights

6.     Welsh Water Condition

7.     Highways Conditions

8.     Biodiversity conditions

- pre-occupancy condition to submit details of bird and bat boxes to be approved

- pre-occupancy condition to submit and approve a 5 Year Set-up and Maintenance Plan as documented in the Green Infrastructure Statement

9.     Trees conditions

10.  An Arboriculture Method Statement must be prepared

11.  The operational methods highlighted in the CEMP must be followed

12.  A Welsh name for the housing estate and individual houses.

13.  A condition to ensure that fences are erected to protect the habitat near the stream

14.  A condition to ensure that a play area with equipment is provided

15.  Restrict the use to C3 use class only

16.  Land drainage condition – in accordance with the details received or in line with a plan to be submitted and agreed in writing with the LPA.

Note – Welsh Water, Land Drainage Unit, Transportation Unit, Fire Service and

Natural Resources Wales

Residential development and associated infrastructure works

Attention was drawn to the late observations form regarding educational contribution, further observations from the Community Council noting concerns regarding flooding, drainage and parking, biodiversity matters as well as the applicant's agent's response to those observations / concerns.

a)      The Planning Manager highlighted that this was a full application for a residential development with associated infrastructure work on a plot of land outside, but immediately adjacent to, the development boundary of the Coastal / Rural Village of Felinheli as defined by the LDP. Proposal includes:

·         23 affordable dwellings

·         Landscaping work including planting new trees and hedges

·         0.14ha of public open land as well as a specific play area

·         New vehicular access to the south of Y Wern estate through an existing informal parking place (the existing parking areas will be relocated)

·         Creation of a new estate road to meet the servicing vehicular access requirements

·         Drainage measures that will involve creating two surface water attenuation pools and diverting the existing public sewer.

It was explained that the application site was partly on brownfield land near the existing housing estate, partly on an overgrown wooded site and the rest on agricultural land. It stood partly within the Gwersyll Dinas Listed Monument (CN 047) buffer zone and a small part of the site within Flood Zone B as defined by the maps that accompany Technical Advice Note 15 "Development and Flood Risk".

In the context of the principle of the development, reference was made to Policy TAI16 which enabled housing developments on sites that were outside, but abut the development boundary but it had to be ensured that the proposal complied effectively with Policy requirements. As an exception to the usual housing policies, proposals for developments of 100% affordable housing may be suitable on a site of this type which directly abuts the development boundary. The policy noted that the site must form a logical extension to the settlement; it was noted here that the application site filled space within the development pattern of the village with the existing development surrounding three sides. It was reiterated that Policy TAI16 also showed that the acknowledged need could not be addressed within a reasonable timetable on a market site within the development boundary which included a requirement for affordable housing. It was reported that no housing sites had been earmarked within the development boundary of Felinheli and when considering the physical restrictions of the land within the development boundary of the village in terms of matters such as gradient and flood risk, it was not believed that it was likely that a suitable site for a development of this size to be available within the village in a reasonable time.

It was also noted that proposals on such a site must be for a small-scale development, which was proportionate to the size of the settlement, unless it could be clearly demonstrated that there was a demonstrable requirement for a larger site. It was noted that 1,177 residential properties  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7