Agenda, decisions and minutes

To accept any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Elin Hywel and Rheinallt Puw (Local Member).

To receive any declaration of personal interest and to note protocol matters.

a)            The following member declared that he had an interest in relation to the item noted:

Councillor Cai Larsen (a member of this Planning Committee), in item 5.3 (C22/0256/13/LL) on the agenda as he was a Member of the ADRA Board.

The Member was of the opinion that it was a prejudicial interest, and he withdrew from the meeting during the discussion on the application.

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration.

None to note

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held on, 27^th February 2023, be signed as a true record.

The Chair accepted the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held on 27 February 2023, subject to noting:

·         that Cllr Louise Hughes was present

·         that the reason for refusing planning application C21/1038/41/LL Tŷ'n Lôn, Afonwen, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 6TX in the English version of the minutes corresponded to the reason for refusal in the Welsh version

·         that a registered vote had been held on the proposal to approve planning application C21/1038/41/LL Tŷ'n Lôn, Afonwen, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 6TX

According to Procedural Rules, the following vote on the motion was recorded:

In favour (6) Councillors:- Louise Hughes, Elwyn Jones, Huw Wyn Jones, Anne Lloyd Jones, Edgar Owen, John Pughe Roberts

Against (7) Councillors:- Elwyn Edwards, Delyth Lloyd Griffiths, Gareth Morris Jones, Cai Larsen, Gareth Anthony Roberts, Huw Rowlands, Gruffydd Williams

Abstaining (0)

The Chair noted that the proposal to approve has failed. 

To submit the report of the Head of Environment Department.

The Committee considered the following applications for development. Details of the applications were expanded upon and questions were answered in relation to the plans and policy aspects.

Redevelopment of the site to provide 55 residential units, together with the creation of a new vehicular access, estate roads and associated paths, parking spaces and landscaping

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillor Medwyn Hughes and Councillor Huw Wyn Jones

Link to relevant background documents

THE APPLICATION WAS WITHDRAWN BY THE AGENT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE

Full application to redevelop an empty site for the construction of 55 living units together with the creation of a new vehicular access, estate road and associated footpaths, parking spaces and landscaping.

THE APPLICATION WAS WITHDRAWN BY THE AGENT PRIOR TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING

Change of use of former night club to 9 self contained 1 bed flats

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillor Nigel Pickavance and Councillor Dylan Fernley

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: TO DEFER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE PUBLICITY PROCESS PROPERLY

Change of use of former night club to 9 self-contained one-bedroom flats

The Planning Manager highlighted that the recommendation to approve the application had now been amended to defer the discussion until the next meeting (17-04-23) as correspondence had been received from a third party noting that they were not aware of the application and were a tenant on the ground floor of the building of the application.  It was highlighted that the ground floor of the building was a vacant shop. It was recommended to defer in order to re-consult.

The Monitoring Officer reiterated that it would be appropriate to defer in order to consult in full.

a)    It was proposed and seconded to defer the application.

RESOLVED: TO DEFER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE PUBLICITY PROCESS PROPERLY

Erection of 18 dwellings, new road and landscaping.

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Rheinallt Puw

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: TO DEFER IN ORDER TO CONDUCT A SITE VISIT

Erection of 18 dwellings, new road and landscaping

a)    The Development Control Team Leader highlighted that this was an application to erect 18 affordable homes, a new estate road and landscaping on a dormant site in Bethesda. The application was split into the following elements: -

·         Providing 18 affordable, two-storey residential units to include 12 two-bedroom houses; 4 three-bedroom houses and 2 four-bedroom houses - varying in surface area and adhering to Welsh Government Design requirements.

·         Providing parking spaces within the curtilage of each house and off-road.

·         Access to the site would be a shared access with a more traditional plan for the estate road itself.

·         Landscaping within the site and on its periphery.

·         Biodiversity improvement plan to include boxes/roosts for bats and planting trees and shrubs to support local biodiversity.

·         Use of materials that reflected local materials for the external elevations of the houses to include natural slates, stonework, painted render and energy efficient UPv-c windows.

·         Installation of solar panels on the roofs.

·         The houses had been designed based on the design principles for preservation.

It was reported that the site was located on a plateau on the northern peripheries of the town and was within the Bethesda Local Service Centre development boundary as contained in the Gwynedd and Anglesey Joint Local Development Plan, 2017 (LDP). The site would be served from a nearby class III county road (Coetmor New Road) and would utilise the existing access.

It was explained that the principle of constructing houses on the site was based in policies CYFF 1, CYFF 2, TAI 2, TAI 15 and PS 5 of the LDP. Policy PCYFF1 stated that proposals would be approved within development boundaries in accordance with the other policies and proposals in the LDP, national planning policies and other material planning considerations.

As the Bethesda Local Services Centre had seen its expected growth level on windfall sites through units completed in the period from 2011 to 2021, the applicant had submitted additional information outlining how the proposal would meet the local community's needs:

·         That the mix of units proposed was based on the demand for local needs for the local area and they were of a flexible tenure. Although the development would not be the subject of Welsh Government's Social Housing Grant and was not in Cyngor Gwynedd's Housing Action Plan at present, the need for this type of housing remained strong within the local community.

·         That the Gwynedd Local Housing Market Assessment (2018) document noted there would be a demand for 707 additional affordable units between 2018 and 2023 in order to meet the need for this type of accommodation. The housing mix would respond to factors such as the features of the site, the need for social housing in Bethesda and local demography.

·         Provide 18 residential units that were 100% affordable on an accessible brownfield site within the development boundary with the units designed to the requirements of the Wales Development Quality - Beautiful Places and Homes (2021).

·         The Strategic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.