Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To accept any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Gareth T Jones

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

a)    The following Member declared that she was a local member in relation to the items noted:

·         Councillor Elin Hywel (a member of this Planning Committee), in item 5.1 application number C23/0671/45/AM and item 5.2 application number C23/0673/45/AM 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 order, it was reported that since the Chair was joining the meeting virtually, the Assistant Head 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 on the 3^rd of March 2025, be signed as a true record.

The Chair accepted the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held on 3 March 2025 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.

Erection of residential dwelling houses including access 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elin Hywel

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION:  TO REFUSE, contrary to the recommendation

Reasons: Lack of affordable housing, lack of information about the housing mix, balance and language matters.

THE APPLICATION WILL BE REFERRED TO A COOLING OFF PERIOD

Land off Caernarfon Road, Western Plot, Pwllheli, LL53 5LF

Construction of residential dwelling-houses including access

a)    The Planning Manager highlighted that this was an outline case to construct 12 residential dwellings in Pwllheli on a plot of land between Glan y Don garage and Aldi supermarket. ⁠ It was explained, although detailed plans and landscaping were not part of the application, that there was a need to consider the principle of the proposal, as well as the access details. Should the application be successful, the applicant would need to submit another application to agree on the reserved matters.

In terms of the principle of the proposal, it was considered that developing houses on the site was acceptable as the land was within the development boundary of Pwllheli and had been earmarked for residential development within the LDP. It was considered that the proposed development density was acceptable given the levels of the site, the need to protect biodiversity and the need to provide a sustainable drainage system and an open play area.

Reference was made to the Pwllheli housing figures, explaining that the proposal was acceptable due to the designation of the site for houses where there is an expectation of 150 new houses, although accepting that 150 would not be possible due to the physical restrictions of the site and the presence of the Aldi supermarket. It was expressed that Policy TAI 15 required an affordable housing contribution on residential developments of two or more units (a 30% contribution is required for Pwllheli), but it was highlighted that the application did not offer any affordable units. It was reported that the Aldi supermarket application had been approved on the site as it was unviable to construct houses there, and although some infrastructure improvement work had improved the situation, evidence in the viability assessment highlighted that it was unviable to provide affordable housing.

It was elaborated, having assessed the information of the viability assessment submitted with the application in accordance with the requirements of the criteria of policy TAI 15, there were no grounds to object to the figures or the conclusion of not offering affordable housing. As a result, it was considered that a lack of provision of affordable housing was not a valid reason to refuse the application. Reference was also made to the proposal to impose a condition to ensure C3 use of the units to ensure that they were all dwellings used as sole or primary residences - the proposal would not provide second homes, holiday homes or additional holiday units in the area.

Despite realising either way that there was no guarantee that the houses would be occupied by Welsh-speaking families, it was considered, with the houses being permanent houses, that the families that would likely occupy the houses would be integrated into the local community with any children attending local schools which provide education through the medium of Welsh. It was elaborated that there was sufficient capacity within local schools to cope with any additional  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Erection of residential dwelling houses including access 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elin Hywel

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: TO REFUSE, contrary to the recommendation

Reasons: Lack of affordable housing, lack of information about the housing mix, balance and language matters.

THE APPLICATION WILL BE REFERRED TO A COOLING OFF PERIOD

Land off Caernarfon Road, Eastern Plot, Pwllheli, LL53 5LF

    Construction of residential dwelling-houses including access

Attention was drawn to the late observations form which concluded that it was possible to impose conditions to ensure archaeological investigations, biodiversity enhancements and mitigation measures and a land drainage plan.

a)    ⁠The Planning Manager highlighted that this was an outline application for a residential development of 24 houses in Pwllheli on a plot of land to the east of the Aldi supermarket site. It was explained, although detailed plans and landscaping were not part of the application, that there was a need to consider the principle of the proposal, as well as the access details. Should the application be successful, the applicant would need to submit another application to agree on the reserved matters.

In terms of the principle of the proposal, it was considered that developing houses on the site was acceptable as the land was within the development boundary of Pwllheli and had been earmarked for residential development within the LDP. It was considered that the proposed development density was acceptable given the levels of the site, the need to protect biodiversity and the need to provide a sustainable drainage system and an open play area.

Reference was made to the Pwllheli housing figures, explaining that the proposal was acceptable due to the designation of the site for houses where there is an expectation of 150 new houses, although accepting that 150 would not be possible due to the physical restrictions of the site and the presence of the Aldi supermarket. It was expressed that Policy TAI 15 required an affordable housing contribution on residential developments of two or more units (a 30% contribution was required for Pwllheli), but it was highlighted that the application did not offer any affordable units. It was reported that the Aldi supermarket application had been approved on the site as it was unviable to construct houses there, and although some infrastructure improvement work had improved the situation, evidence in the viability assessment highlighted that the development was unviable even without provision of affordable housing.

It was elaborated, having assessed the information of the viability assessment submitted with the application in accordance with the requirements of the criteria of policy TAI 15, there were no grounds to object to the figures or the conclusion of not offering affordable housing. As a result, it was considered that a lack of provision of affordable housing was not a valid reason to refuse the application and the fact that the development as a whole was unviable was not a reason to refuse the application because the action of any permission was a matter for the developer. 

Reference was also made to the proposal to impose a condition to ensure C3 use of the units to ensure that they were all dwellings used as sole or primary residences. Although no affordable housing would be provided as part of the application it could at least be ensured that the proposal would not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Full application for the construction of 6 residential dwellings (C3 class use) and associated development including access, parking and landscaping. 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Gareth Tudor Jones

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION:

To delegate powers to the Head of Environment Department to approve the application subject to a 106 agreement for an educational contribution and an affordable dwelling, and conditions relating to the following:

1.     Time

2.     Development to comply with the approved plans

3.     Must agree on external materials including the roofing slates

4.     Removal of permitted development rights relating to the affordable unit and also restrict the ability to change or add new windows from what is permitted.

5.     Welsh Water Condition

6.     Highways Conditions

7.     Biodiversity Conditions

8.     A need to submit a Construction Management Plan prior to the commencement of the development work

9.     The housing estate and individual houses must be given Welsh names.

10.  Restrict the use to C3 use class only

11.  Landscaping

Borthwen Plot, Lôn Rhos, Edern, Gwynedd, LL53 8YN

Full application to construct 6 residential dwellings (use class C3) with associated developments including entrance, parking and landscaping

Attention was drawn to the late observations form which included information in the form of a Housing Statement which noted the situation locally in terms of the demand for housing and relevant information relating to the proposed development and the local benefit of approving it.

a)      The Development Control Team Leader highlighted⁠ that this was a full application to construct 6 residential dwellings to include 1 affordable house with associated developments and works within the Edern development boundary and within the Llŷn and Ynys Enlli Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest and within the Western Llŷn Special Landscape Area. It was noted that the development would include constructing one two-storey four-bedroom house, 3 three-bedroom dormer houses and 2 two-storey three-bedroom houses.

It was explained that Lôn Rhos, which abutted the front of the site, was a class 3 public road with a vehicular entrance already created into the site. It was elaborated that residential houses directly abutted some of the site's boundaries with open agricultural land beyond the southernmost boundary which also included a public footpath designation.

Although the site was located within the development boundary, it was highlighted that the development would mean that Edern would exceed its indicative supply level and as a result, justification was required for the proposal to demonstrate how the development would address a local recognised demand. It was noted that the information submitted with the application did confirm that the houses would directly contribute to the provision of more housing to meet the current high demand which existed for this type of permanent residential housing and it was therefore considered that there was justification and demand for them and that they addressed the needs of the local community. It was elaborated that, as the local Primary School was full, an educational contribution would be ensured through a 106 agreement.

It was considered that the principle of a new residential development would contribute towards fulfilling the need locally, and there was no evidence to show that the proposal would have a harmful impact on the language. It was noted that there was an intention to impose specific conditions to ensure that Welsh names were agreed for the estate and the houses.

Considering the context of the site and the fact that it would form a logical extension to the village, it was considered that the setting, design and materials of the proposed development in its revised form would appropriately suit the location, and the proposal was also acceptable in terms of road safety. It was considered that the existing built nature of the area was varied, but fairly dense as it formed part of an established village. In addition, it was considered that the distances, land levels and the presence of the proposed fence and existing vegetation meant that the houses would not disrupt  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The construction of 4no. new industrial units and associated external landscaping on Plot C3 at Parc Bryn Cegin, Llandygai, Bangor.

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Dafydd Meurig

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION:

To approve the application subject to material planning conditions relating to:

            1. Time

            2. Compliance with the plans

            3. Must operate in accordance with the recommendations in the ecological report / landscaping plan

            4. Welsh Water Condition

            5. Permitted use of buildings for any purposes within Use Class B2 

            6. Ensure Welsh / Bilingual signs

            7. Public Protection conditions

Notes

1.     Welsh Water

2.     Land Drainage Unit

The construction of 4no. new industrial units and associated external landscaping on Plot C3 at Parc Bryn Cegin, Llandygai, Bangor.

a)    Attention was drawn to the late observations which contained further observations from the Biodiversity Unit - it was considered that it was appropriate to impose a condition to ensure appropriate landscaping and mitigation measures.

The ⁠Development Control Team Leader highlighted that⁠ this was a full application to construct four buildings and associated works on one of the empty plots within Bryn Cegin Business Park, Llandygai. It was explained that one of the buildings would remain as a single unit, with two divided into two smaller units and the fourth divided into four units.

It was noted that the site was situated on the Bryn Cegin Strategic Regional Business Site approximately 1km south of the development boundary of the Bangor Regional Centre and the intended use complied with the requirements of policy CYF 1, as there was appropriate justification to approve such a development on a site earmarked for this type of use. This was not an unexpected development and the process of earmarking the site had established the principle. It was elaborated that there was no objection to the proposal based on sustainability, infrastructure, transport, heritage, biodiversity or linguistic matters.

It was reported that the site was also within the Buffer Zones of the Llandygai Henge Monuments and Cursus and Penrhyn Quarry Railway Scheduled Monuments, and vehicular access already existed on the site. Although it appeared large, it was highlighted that the buildings would be of a size, design and materials that would be expected for contemporary industrial buildings. It was elaborated that there was an intention for landscaping which would reinforce the existing screening which would, together with the current natural screening, conceal the site from most public viewpoints. Given its site on an industrial estate, which had already received planning permission, it was not considered that the site would cause significant harm to the site's general appearance, or affect the area's visual amenities in general, as well as the landscaping designations.

Reference was made to a Noise Assessment submitted, confirming that Cyngor Gwynedd's Public Protection Service had provided a response and offered conditions to ensure that sufficient noise mitigation measures had been provided, as well as specific working/opening hours based on the information submitted as part of the application.

Having considered that the proposal was acceptable and complied with the requirements of relevant local and national policies, the officers considered that the proposal was acceptable and recommended approving the application with conditions.

b)    The Local Member had no observations to offer on the application

c)    It was proposed and seconded to approve the application

RESOLVED: To approve the application subject to material planning conditions relating to:

            1. Timescale

            2. Compliance with the plans

            3. Must operate in accordance with the recommendations in the ecological report / landscaping plan

            4. Welsh Water Condition

            5. Permitted use of buildings for any purposes within Use Class B2  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.