Agenda, decisions and minutes

To accept any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Elin Hywel, Elwyn Jones and Gareth Roberts

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 5.1 (C22/0657/18/LL) on the agenda as he was a Member of the Adra Management Board.

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, 20th November 2023, be signed as a true record.

The Chair accepted the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held on 20 November 2023, as a true record.

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.

Full planning application for the erection of 30 affordable dwellings with a new access, internal access road and associated works.

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillor Sasha Williams and Councillor Iwan Huws

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To delegate powers to the Head of Environment Department to approve the application, subject to ensuring an acceptable solution regarding archaeological matters and a 106 agreement for a play area and educational contribution and conditions relating to the following:

·         Commence within five years

·         Development to comply with the approved plans

·         Must submit and agree on a programme for providing affordable housing

·         Must agree on external materials including the roofing slates

·         Removal of permitted development rights

·         Welsh Water Condition

·         Highways Conditions

·         Biodiversity conditions

·         Need to submit an Environmental Management Plan prior to commencing work on the development

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

·         Restrict the use to C3 use class only

·         Archaeology conditions

Note – Welsh Water

                        Land Drainage Unit

                        Transportation Unit

                        Major development

Full planning application to erect 30 affordable dwellings with a new access, internal access road and associated works.

Attention was drawn to the late observations form that proposed additional information regarding Educational Contribution matters, Linguistic Matters, Biodiversity, Trees, and Archaeology matters.

a)         The Development Control Team Leader highlighted, that it was a full application to erect 30 affordable dwellings with associated works on the site designated under T57 as a site for housing within the Bethel Service Village development boundary as defined by the Local Development Plan (LDP). It was explained that the site was located within the Dinorwig Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest and abutted the Pen-yr-Orsedd designated Wildlife Site which was distinctive for its acidic grassland, marshy grassland, and acid/neutral wetland. The proposal included erecting the houses, providing new access to the B4366 (which is a class 2 road), creating an internal access road, landscaped areas and associated drainage work; the proposal would include a housing mix:

·         3 two-bedroom bungalows

·         1 three-bedroom wheelchair-accessible bungalow

·         8 two-bedroom houses

·         12 three-bedroom houses

·         2 four-bedroom houses

·         4 one-bedroom flats

In the context of the development’s principle, it was noted, in accordance with Policy PCYFF 1 ('Development Boundaries') that proposals would be approved within development boundaries in accordance with the other policies and proposals in the Plan, national planning policies and other material planning considerations.  It was highlighted that Bethel, in the LDP, was identified as a Service Village under policy TAI 4 which supported housing to meet the Plan's strategy through housing allocations and suitable unallocated sites within the development boundary based on the indicative provision within the Policy.

It was reported, in accordance with Policy TAI 8, that consideration should be given to the proposed development and whether it met the demand for housing recorded in a Market Housing Assessment and other relevant local sources of evidence. It was noted that a Housing Mix Statement was submitted with the application noting the reasoning behind the housing mix proposed, and confirmation was received from the Housing Strategic Unit confirming that the development met the recognised local community needs. It was reiterated that Policy TAI 15 of the LDP stated that Councils would attempt to ensure an appropriate level of affordable houses in the plan area. In Bethel, the threshold was two or more housing units, but as the proposal prepared 100% affordable units and that the Housing Strategic Unit confirmed that the proposal met the need in the area, the application satisfied policy TAI 15. As a result, it was considered that there was justification and need for the proposal and that it would address the needs of the local community and realise the objectives of the LDP housing policies.

In the context of the location, design and visual impact of the proposal, it was noted that it would form a logical extension to the village, and that the layout, design and materials of the proposed development would be in-keeping with the location in an appropriate way. It was considered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Application for a proposed pick your own enterprise to include alterations to the existing vehicular access, provision of a car park for customers, installation of a polytunnel and shelter with solar panels above, provision of a shipping container for the installation of irrigation equipment and associated equipment with the solar panels and a shipping container for weighing the fruit and selling refreshments, installatio of water collection tanks, and the erection of a building to provide toilets.

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Anwen Davies

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To approve – conditions:

·         Five years

·         In accordance with the plans

·         Highways Conditions

·         Welsh Water Condition

·         Welsh language advertisements

·         Anti-glare cover on the pv panels

·         The pv solar equipment must be disconnected and moved from the site after a continuous period of not producing energy.

·         The buildings approved here must only be used for agricultural purposes or as ancillary to agricultural use of the site and if their use for agricultural purposes within this unit ends permanently within 10 years of the date of completing the development substantially, unless the local planning authority approves an alternative use, the building will have to be demolished and removed from the land and the land restored to its previous condition before the development took place.

·         Biodiversity enhancements

·         Details of electric car charging points

Notes:

SUDS

Major development

Refer the developer to the website of the Welsh Language Commissioner and the Welsh Offer in order to assist them to create a Language Plan, and identify the development steps in terms of promoting the Welsh language.

An application for the creation of a pick-your-own fruit enterprise, including alterations to the existing vehicular access, provision of customer car park, installation of a polytunnel and shelter with solar panels above, provision of a container for the installation of irrigation equipment and associated equipment with solar panels and a container to be used for weighing the fruit and sale of refreshments, installation of water collection tanks, and installation of a building to provide toilets.

a)    The Development Control Team Leader highlighted that this was a full application to create a pick-your-own fruit enterprise on a site located on the outskirts of the village of Rhydyclafdy in open countryside and within the Llŷn and Bardsey Island Area of Outstanding Historic Interest.

It was explained that the principle of a pick-your-own fruit enterprise was an agricultural use as it involved using the land to grow produce. Reference was made to part 3.8 of Technical Advice Note 6 which confirmed if a farm shop was used only for the sale of goods produced on that farm, with a minimal quantity of other goods from elsewhere, therefore it was a use which was ancillary to its use as a farm and did not require specific planning permission (namely using the current farm buildings to sell the produce). However, in this case, the proposal involved the provision of a new construction and development specifically for the enterprise which was subject to planning consent.  It was explained that the provision of a shop in the context of this proposal was in the form of a cabin in order to weigh the produce as well as the sale of refreshments to customers, such as tea, coffee and cakes, etc. The cabin would be small, and it was not considered large enough to sell a large number of goods sourced elsewhere; this element of the proposal was acceptable and in accordance with the objectives of TAN objectives for sustainable rural communities.

In terms of visual, general and residential amenities, it was noted that the site, despite being on the outskirts of the village, was relatively concealed since the land gradually drops away from the village, and although a class 3 road (Lôn Pin) runs past the site, there were only intermittent views through the high hedges along the road leading from the site.

Attention was also drawn to the shelter frame above the produce growing boards which were substantial in terms of height and included solar panels and clear panels above. This equated to a 3.1m high building with a ridge roof and curves and valleys alternately. Despite being substantial, its height and location means that it would be unlikely to have a substantial detrimental impact on the landscape, including the Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest. It was reiterated that it was proposed to provide a polytunnel on the site alongside the shelter frames, therefore it was not considered that it would have an additional impact on the landscape in comparison with the nearby shelter  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.