Agenda, decisions and minutes

To elect Chair for 2024/25

DECISION: TO ELECT COUNCILLOR ELWYN EDWARDS AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2024/25.

RESOLVED: TO ELECT COUNCILLOR ELWYN EDWARDS AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2024/25.

The Chair thanked Councillor Edgar Owen for his work as Chair over the past two years.

Councillor John Pughe was welcomed to his first meeting of the Planning Committee.

To elect Vice Chair for 2024/25

DECISION: COUNCILLOR HUW ROWLANDS WAS ELECTED AS VICE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2024/25.

DECISION: COUNCILLOR HUW ROWLANDS WAS ELECTED AS VICE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2024/25.

To accept any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Louise Hughes and John Pughe Roberts

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

a)         The following member declared that he was a local member in relation to the item noted:

·         Councillor Gareth Morris Jones (a member of this Planning Committee), in item 7.2 (C24/0131/42/DT) on the agenda

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

As a matter of course, it was reported that since the Chair was joining the meeting virtually, the Legal Officer would be announcing the results of the voting on the applications.

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held April 22^nd  2024, be signed as a true record.

The Chair accepted the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held on 22 April 2024, 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

Revised layout for the erection of new dwelling, including parking and sewerage treatment plant 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Rhys Tudur

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To Refuse

1.    A demand has not been proven for erecting a new dwelling in open countryside, therefore the proposal does not comply with the requirements of policies PCYFF 1 and PS17 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan, as well as paragraphs 4.2.37 - 38 of Planning Policy Wales and part 4.3.1 of TAN 6: Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities which ensures that new houses in open countryside may only be permitted in specific and exceptional circumstances.  

2.    This development would have a detrimental effect on the landscape causing urban encroachment onto a greenfield site in open countryside. It is not considered that the proposal would add to or improve the character and appearance of the site and it would not integrate with its surroundings. The application is therefore contrary to Policy PCYFF 3 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan.

Revised layout for the erection of a new dwelling, including parking and sewage treatment plant

The officer drew attention to the late observations form which contained land drainage details - after receiving these observations, the third reason for refusal, which was noted in the report, was removed.

a)       The Planning Manager explained that this was a full application to erect a new single-storey dwelling-house on a parcel of land near Capel Rhoslan. The site was considered a site in open countryside, outside any development boundary and away from a cluster village as defined in the LDP.

It was noted that the application was submitted to the Committee at the request of the local member.

It was explained that policy TAI 6 which allowed new affordable housing in clusters, did not apply here because of the distance of the site from the village. It was reported that only new dwellings that infilled between buildings or were located immediately adjacent to the curtilage of a building would be permitted by this policy, and with the application site located far from the nearest housing cluster, the policy was not supportive of such an application.

Subsequently, it was reported that policy PCYFF1 was the relevant policy here; which allowed new development in open countryside where there was evidence of justification for this. It was also explained that policy PS17 Settlement Strategy confirmed that only housing developments that complied with Planning Policy Wales and Technical Advice Note 6 would be permitted in open countryside, with support for developments such as agricultural dwellings or housing attached to a rural enterprise.

The officer drew attention to the information within the Design and Access Statement which noted that the applicant worked in the army and wished to build a house near his parents who resided in Capel Rhoslan. Although it appeared that the applicant was a local person, born and bred in the area, no evidence had been submitted that a current need for a house existed, or a need for an affordable dwelling. The site was not considered suitable as a rural exception site because of its location away from the cluster, and there was no agricultural holding on the land or any proven agricultural or rural enterprise justification. As such, it was reported that none of the policies within the LDP or national policy were supportive of such an application.

In the context of visual amenities, although the design of the dwelling had been amended since the previous refusal, permitting the application would result in a new development on green land in open countryside, which would inevitably lead to an urban spread to the countryside, in a place that was visible from the road and nearby public footpaths. Therefore, it was considered that the proposal was contrary to policy PCYFF 3 of the LDP.

Having weighed up the proposal against the relevant policy requirements and after giving full consideration to the response to the consultations and the objections received, it was concluded that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Proposed external works including reinstatement and extension to terrace/patio area, construction of a new wall and other various alterations

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Gareth Morris Jones

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To delegate powers to the Senior Planning Manager to approve the application subject to the following conditions:

1.         Time

2.         Compliance with plans

3.         Landscaping scheme

4.         Details of finishes/materials

5.         Eradicate invasive plants

6.         Agree/prevent work areas

External works including reinstatement and extension of terrace/patio area, construction of a new wall and other various alterations

The officer drew attention to the late observations form – following a second consultation, further observations had been received from the local member and the Community Council.

a)      The Planning Manager highlighted that this was a full application to undertake external works associated with a residential property. It was explained that the site was located outside the development boundary of Morfa Nefyn and was part of a cluster of other residential buildings that abutted the nearby beach. The site was not within the area of the Llŷn AONB designation, however, it was within the Llŷn and Enlli Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest.

The application had been submitted to the committee at the local member’s request.

It was explained that the proposal had been amended from its original submission in response to concerns, and the proposal was now as follows: 

·         Creation of a front wall by using gabions filled with stone, which would also contain an internal space to be used for storage 

·         Improve and extend the existing terrace/external area above the wall and include new boundary treatment in the form of a series of wooden posts with a wire between them (this element had been changed from the original submission which included a glazed boundary treatment).

·         Raise the floor level in front of the property and create a low stone wall to highlight the separation between the land that the owners wished to keep private, and the area that ran alongside the sea wall which they were happy for the public to use as a right of way when needed (It was emphasised that this was not a formal public footpath, but a path that had historically been used by the public especially at times of high tide).

It was added that, through the use of conditions to agree materials and finishes, the Planning Authority was of the view that the proposal was not contrary to the design policies or to those policies that protected residential and visual amenities.

Despite concern about the proposal, it was noted that the land that was the subject of the application, was within the curtilage of a residential property where the owner had the right to rectify the existing patio levels and erect fences without the need for planning permission, and where there was no control over the colours and types of materials to be used. It was added that permission was only required for the engineering work and change of levels, but it was important to be mindful of what the applicant could do without permission. It was highlighted that the applicant had also been more than willing to discuss and agree on finishes and had taken note of the concerns that had arisen by revising the application. Nevertheless, as with any planning application, the Members were reminded that the decision had to be reasonable, especially when matters could be agreed through conditions.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.