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  • Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

    Planning Committee - Monday, 16th June, 2025 1.00 pm

    • Attendance details
    • Agenda frontsheet PDF 154 KB
    • Agenda reports pack PDF 17 MB
    • Printed decisions PDF 24 KB
    • Printed draft minutes PDF 121 KB

    Venue: Hybrid - Siambr Dafydd Orwig, Swyddfeydd y Cyngor, Caernarfon LL55 1SH. View directions

    Contact: Lowri Haf Evans 01286 679 878  Email: lowrihafevans@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

    Media

     
    Items
    No. Item

    1.

    APOLOGIES

    To accept any apologies for absence.

    Additional documents:

    • Webcast for 1.

    Minutes:

    Apologies were received from Cllr Cai Larsen and Cllr Gareth A. Roberts

     

     

    2.

    DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST AND PROTOCOL MATTERS

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

    Additional documents:

    • Webcast for 2.

    Minutes:

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

    ·        Councillor Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn (not a member of this Planning Committee), in relation to item 5.2 (C19/0154/03/LL) on the agenda

     

    3.

    URGENT ITEMS

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

    Additional documents:

    • Webcast for 3.

    Minutes:

    As a matter of order, 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.

     

    4.

    MINUTES pdf icon PDF 183 KB

    The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held on, 19th May 2025, be signed as a true record.

    Additional documents:

    • Webcast for 4.

    Minutes:

    The Chair accepted the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 19 May 2025 as a true record.

     

     

    5.

    PLANNING APPLICATIONS

    To submit the report of the Head of Environment Department.

    Additional documents:

    • Webcast for 5.

    Minutes:

    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.

     

    6.

    APPLICATION NO C22/0585/22/LL Land Adjacent To Oxton Villa Ffordd Haearn Bach, Penygroes, LL54 6NY pdf icon PDF 156 KB

    Erection of one affordable dwelling with associated access, parking and landscaping (revised scheme).

     

    LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Craig ab Iago

     

    Link to relevant background documents

     

     

    Additional documents:

    • Plans , item 6. pdf icon PDF 14 MB
    • Webcast for 6.

    Decision:

    DECISION: To refuse, in line with the recommendation

     

    Reasons:

    1.     The proposal is not appropriate as a logical extension to the settlement because of its location and the current boundaries that separate the settlement from the countryside in this location. The development is therefore contrary to the requirements of policies PCYFF 1, TAI 15 and 16 of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Joint Local Development Plan 2011-2026 and the Supplementary Planning Guidance: Affordable Housing which ensure suitable affordable housing developments as an exception on the peripheries of development boundaries.

    2.     The local need for a self-built affordable house has not been proved. The size of the proposed property and curtilage is too large to enable the property to be affordable in the future and comply with the scale of development density. The development is therefore contrary to the requirements of policies TAI 15, TAI 16 and PCYFF 2 of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Joint Local Development Plan 2011-2026 and the Supplementary Planning Guidance: Affordable Housing which ensure development of an acceptable scale which would be affordable in future.

    3.     The development is tantamount to erecting a new house in open countryside without any justification and is contrary to the requirements of policies PCYFF 1 and paragraph 6.4.36 of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Joint Local Development Plan 2011-2026 and Technical Advice Note 6: Planning for sustainable rural communities.

    Minutes:

    Application for erecting an affordable dwelling with access, parking and associated landscaping (amended plan).

     

    a)           The Planning Manager highlighted that this was a full application for the erection of one affordable two-bedroom house with access and parking on a site situated within an agricultural field on the outskirts of Penygroes.

     

    It was explained that a decision on the application, at the January 2024 committee, had been deferred in order to receive written evidence of the applicant's position with Tai Teg, together with confirmation that the applicant was eligible for a self-built affordable house. It was added that the deferral had been a fair opportunity for the applicant to also consider reducing the size of the house's surface area and the size of the plot.

     

    It was reported that several attempts had been made by officers to seek information, but there had been no progress with the request. With almost a year and a half having elapsed, it was decided to bring the application back to committee for a decision.

     

    The reasons for refusal were highlighted, explaining that one reason related to the location of the site - a site which was located on the outskirts and outside the development boundary of the village of Penygroes. It was noted that with the development boundary located on the boundary of the Glaslyn property with a public footpath situated between the Glaslyn property and the application site, this meant that the site did not adjoin the development boundary and therefore failed to comply with the requirements of the TAI 16 policy as an exception site for an affordable unit. In addition, this meant that the site was in the open countryside, with no justification or need proved.

     

    The reason for refusal was cited, relating to the size of the property and the curtilage which was too large to enable the property to be affordable in the future and comply with the scale of development density. It was added, again, that the local need for a self-built affordable house had not been proved.

     

    It was considered that the applicant had had sufficient time to modify the application and despite the attempts of officers to receive information, it was reported that there had been no progress.

            

             The officers recommended that the application be refused.

     

    b)           It was proposed and seconded to refuse the application.

     

    c)           During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by Members:

    ·        The application was submitted to the Committee at the Local Member's request, but the Local Member was not present

    ·        The site was outside the development boundary

    ·        Tai Teg had refused the application

    ·        This was the third time the application has been discussed at the committee

    ·        A request for information had been made, but there was no change in the situation

    ·        Consistency needed to be ensured

    ·        There was a lack of contact from the applicant

     

    ·        In the context of size – was it really bigger than an affordable house? Local people didn't want to live in boxes!

    ·        The site seemed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

    7.

    APPLICATION No C19/0154/03/LL Market Hall, Church Street, Blaenau Ffestiniog, LL41 3HP pdf icon PDF 198 KB

    Conversion of building to 14 flats

     

    LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn

     

    Link to relevant background documents

     

    Additional documents:

    • Plans , item 7. pdf icon PDF 3 MB
    • Webcast for 7.

    Decision:

    DECISION: To refuse in line with the recommendation

     

    Reason:

               

    No sufficient or current information have been submitted with this application to assess the proposal against the requirements of policies PS1, TAI 15 and PS19 Supplementary Planning Guidance: Maintaining and Creating Distinctive and Sustainable Communities and Chapter 6 of Planning Policy Wales (PPW), which deals with the impact on the Welsh language, provision of affordable housing, green infrastructure and the net benefit to biodiversity.

     

    Minutes:

    Conversion of building into 14 flats   

     

    a)     The Planning Manager highlighted that it was a full application for change of use and conversion of a building into 14 flats which would include eight one-bedroom flats and six two-bedroom flats creating three new windows to the side facing the railway, closing one opening facing the high street and creating six new openings to face the adjacent church.

     

    It was explained that a decision on the application had been deferred in the Planning Committee in July 2019 following the receipt of the Language Unit's observations which stated that there was a lack of information, and to discuss with the applicant to try to understand the linguistic situation in the context of the application. It was noted that a Language Impact Assessment, a Design and Access Statement and an amended Viability Assessment were submitted in 2020, and following this the building was listed as a Grade II building by CADW in June 2021.  It was added that officers had sought an update and current information for the application, but no response had been received.

     

    In the context of current housing figures, it was noted that the application could be supported on the basis of the indicative supply level for Blaenau Ffestiniog along with the acceptable mix of units that met the need locally. It was explained that as this proposed development would not involve a greater provision than the indicative housing provision determined for the settlement, a Welsh Language Statement was not required. However, a statement was submitted with the application and a Language Impact Assessment submitted later on. The Policy stated that a statement was required for a development of five or more units, unless it addressed evidence of need and demand for housing. At the time concern was expressed about the type of units, the mix and the linguistic impact but due to the time that had now elapsed, there was no up-to-date information to assess the proposal against the requirements of policy PS1, and therefore it could not be confirmed whether the intention would comply with the policy or the SPG.

     

    In the context of Policy TAI 15 which outlined the requirements for the provision of affordable housing to be at least 10% of the proposal, a minimum of one unit would be required to be affordable. The application was originally accompanied by a Financial Viability Assessment, along with a later amended version justifying the lack of affordable unit provision. However, due to the time that had elapsed since the previous assessments the proposal could not be accurately assessed against the requirements of the TAI 15 policy as the information was no longer current nor had it considered the listed status of the building.

     

    An update to Chapter 6 of Planning Policy Wales (PPW), which dealt with green infrastructure and the net benefit to biodiversity and required all planning applications to submit a Green Infrastructure Statement, was highlighted. It was noted that no such Statement had been submitted as part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

     

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