Issue - meetings

Change of use of land for the creation of a holiday touring caravan and motor home site (25 units) and tents (10 units) demolition of existing w/c and showering facilities and a new modular amenity block and associated developments

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Llio Elenid Owen

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To approve with conditions

1.         Time

2.         In accordance with the amended plans.

3.         Limit the number of touring units to 25 caravans and 10 tents only.

4.         Holiday use only and keep a register.

5.         Touring unit's holiday season - 1 March to 31 October.

6.         No storing of touring caravans on the site.

7.         Trunk Road Conditions

8.         Natural Resources lighting condition

9.         Biodiversity Conditions

10.       Construction work hours

11.       Welsh name

12.       Welsh language Signs

13.       Hard-standing condition

14.       Footpaths Condition

Notes:

NRW letter note

SUDS note

Licensing Note

Application for the change of use of land for the creation of a holiday touring site for caravans, motor homes (25 units) and tents (10 units), demolition of existing amenity building and erection of a new amenity building and associated developments; widening and improving the access to the A487 Trunk Road, including the installation of formal warning signs, which will facilitate the safe and efficient flow of traffic between the site and the A487.

Attention was drawn to the Late Observations Form.

a)           The Planning Officer highlighted that the site was  a countryside site with the entrance located directly from the A487 Trunk Road. Currently, it was explained that the existing single-track entrance served the farm and the existing certified site, which allowed for five caravans and ten tents throughout the year; the site was located in a Wildlife Site and within a Surface Water Flood zone and Small Watercourses 2 and 3.

As the proposal involved a development for a touring caravan site, it was explained that it must be considered under policy TWR 5 of the LDP, which sets out a series of criteria for approving such developments.

The proposed development would be located on a level field surrounded by mature trees along its boundaries and therefore hidden from public locations; included retaining the existing hedge within the site and reinforcing the screening by proposing the planting of a new native hedge around the site to separate the caravan pitch from the wider field. It was noted that the existing facilities building, which included toilets and showers, would be demolished and replaced with a higher quality mobile modular facilities building. It was added that the proposal was designed to meet licensing requirements in terms of space and facilities and therefore it was accepted that the development was standard and therefore compliant with Policy TWR 5 as it met the relevant criteria.

It was reported that the development was of high-quality in terms of design, layout and appearance, located in a non-invasive site which was effectively screened by the existing landscape features. It did not lead to an excess of hard surfaces, and the site was in an accessible location from the point of view of the main road network, where suitable access could be provided without significantly impairing the landscape's character. In addition, planning conditions could ensure that the site was used for holiday purposes only, for touring caravan use only, and that any units were removed from the site during periods when they are not in use.

It was added that the site relied on direct access off the A487 Trunk Road and as part of the application, improvements to the junction were proposed to enable two vehicles to pass safely when joining or exiting the trunk road, together with the installation of appropriate warning signs. The Welsh Government's Trunk Road Unit had originally noted an objection due to a lack of information and concerns about the safety of the access, in particular that the junction was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12