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Contact: Bethan Adams 01286 679020
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WELCOME Minutes: Alun Price, Natural Resources Wales, was welcomed to his first meeting. |
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CHAIRMAN To elect a chairman for 2015/16. Minutes: It was reported that the
constitution of the Joint Advisory Committee had been amended under delegated
powers of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulatory so that any member of
the Joint-committee could act as Chairman.
RESOLVED to elect Councillor Gruffydd Williams as Chairman for the year 2015/16. |
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VICE-CHAIRMAN To elect a vice-chairman for 2015/16. Minutes: RESOLVED to elect T. Victor Jones as Vice-chairman of the Committee for 2015/16. |
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APOLOGIES To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: Noel Davey (Campaign for the
Protection of Rural Wales), Morgan Jones-Parry (Arfon
and Dwyfor Access Forum), Hedd
Rhys (NFU Cymru), Gillian Walker (Botwnnog
Community Council), John Eric Williams (Cyfeillion Llŷn), Wenda Williams (Aberdaron Community Council) and John Lloyd Jones (Welsh
Designated Landscapes Review Panel). |
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DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST To receive any declaration of personal interest. Minutes: No declarations of personal interest were received from any members present. |
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The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of this committee, held on 25 March 2015, be signed as a true record. Minutes: The Chairman signed the minutes of
the previous meeting of this committee held on 25 March, 2015, as a true
record, subject to amending the name of Arfon Jones (Nefyn Town Council) to Arfon Hughes under the list of apologies. |
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URGENT ITEM To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration. Minutes: The Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that the Llŷn AONB Unit was being considered as part of possible cuts by the Council. The support of members was requested for the Unit as part of the public consultation on cuts. |
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REVIEW OF WELSH DESIGNATED LANDSCAPES - STAGE 2 PDF 311 KB To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager. Additional documents: Minutes: Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager, noting the latest situation
in terms of the Welsh Government’s review of Designated Landscapes. It was reported that the response
to Stage 2 of the review had been sent to the review Panel by Gwynedd Council
as an organisation. Attention was drawn to a
letter received from Professor Terry Marsden, Chairman of the Review of
Designated Landscapes in Wales, introducing Stage 2 of the review and was
giving organisations an opportunity to submit evidence in writing regarding
designated landscape governance arrangements. The specific questions posed were
highlighted to assist the Review in identifying and gathering the necessary
evidence to come to a conclusion on Stage 2. Members were given an
opportunity to offer observations. During the discussion the following main
points were noted: ·
In the current financial climate, it would be
more cost-effective to have one body to decide on planning applications, namely
Gwynedd Council; ·
There was a lack of awareness of the AONB and
there was a need to ensure stronger planning arrangements to safeguard the AONB
when deciding on planning applications; ·
There was need for a better balance between
beauty and the economy as so many young people were leaving the area; ·
Tourists visited the area because of its beauty
and there was a need to balance the value of economic development with
conservation. This meant that developments which were not in-keeping with the
natural beauty had to be refused, especially because of the duty to
secure/protect the beauty of the area under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act
2000; ·
Raising awareness of the AONB to a similar level
as the National Parks would encourage more people to come to the AONB; ·
A member expressed her concern that if the
National Parks and AONBs were governed under the same system, the AONB would be
swallowed by the Park; ·
There was a lack of resources and a low profile
within the Council and Gwynedd as a whole; ·
The AONB should receive resources/support that
was similar to the level of National Parks and keep its local
independence. A member noted that the Crown
Estate received a substantial amount of money from Wales on an annual basis and
this was inequitable. A member drew attention to a
local quality assurance plan in the Lake District where an additional fee was
charged on visitors and the money was used for marketing and maintaining the
area and the member was in contact with the Council with a view to establishing
a similar system in Gwynedd. He noted that establishing a pilot scheme would
take some time but it would be of considerable value to the area. In response, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that he had been in contact with the Tourism, Marketing and Customer Care Unit and they were looking into establishing a similar system. The Countryside and Access Manager added that it was a complicated matter and there was a need for resources to establish and administrate ... view the full minutes text for item 8. |
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To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Projects Officer. Additional documents:
Minutes: Submitted – a report on the
work of the AONB Unit, noting that Catrin Glyn, Llŷn AONB Project Officer – temporary, had received a
new post and she was wished well. Llŷn
Conservation Areas Projects It was noted that the final
report had been received and the next step of the work, if resources permitted,
would be trying to achieve the recommendations of the report and improve the condition
of the Conservation Areas in the AONB by collaboration and securing
funding. In response to an observation
by a member, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted
that the owners of buildings in Conservation Areas were encouraged to safeguard
and improve the appearance and character of the areas. A member expressed concern
regarding street furniture (by private businesses) that were
not in-keeping. A member expressed an opinion
that the observations of Community Councils on planning applications did not
receive a fair consideration. A member noted that
Conservation Officers of the Snowdonia National Park Authority had succeeded in
attracting grants for maintaining conservation in Dolgellau and more
consideration should be given to Conservation Areas when determining planning
applications in Gwynedd. World Wars Project It was noted that Elfed Gruffydd had completed his
research work into the First World War in terms of the impact and influence of
the World Wars on the environment and on society in the area and that he was
now examining the Second World War. Attention was drawn to a summary of the
work and it was noted that a complete report would be brought before the
Joint-committee. A member expressed his
gratitude to Elfed Gruffydd
for the work and hoped the information would be published. In response, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that he would convey
the appreciation of the member to Elfed Gruffydd. It was
added that it was proposed to publish the report on the internet. Llŷn
Coastal Festival and Walking Tours It was reported that the
Coastal Festival would be held during the summer and walking tours had been
arranged by the Llŷn AONB Unit for
September. RESOLVED to accept the report. |
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ESTABLISHING A PLANNING SUB-GROUP PDF 286 KB To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager. Minutes: Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager, weighing up and measuring
the situation in terms of establishing a Planning Matters Sub-group in
accordance with the decision of the Joint-committee at its meeting on 22
October 2014. It was noted that observations
were submitted on relevant planning applications by the Llŷn
AONB Service Manager, along with the Joint-committee's statement when
applications on wind turbines arose. A member noted that establishing a
sub-group would enable members to prepare more comprehensive observations when
it was considered that a planning application would have a detrimental effect
on the AONB. RESOLVED that the Llŷn AONB Service Manager submits a report at the next meeting regarding establishing a Planning Matters Sub-group. |
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PLANNING APPEAL - WIND TURBINE, CRUGERAN, SARN PDF 195 KB To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager. Additional documents: Minutes: Submitted – report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager regarding the Planning
Appeal lodged following the refusal of planning permission to erect an
additional wind turbine on land near Crugeran, Sarn Mellteyrn (Planning
Application Reference C14/0974/32/LL), following a request by a member of the
Joint-committee to consider the matter. It was reported that
observations had been made on the application by the Llŷn
AONB Service Manager which included the Joint-committee’s statement in relation
to wind turbines. Members were given an
opportunity to produce detailed observations on the Appeal. Following a request by a
member, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager agreed to
send a copy of the observations that will be sent to the Inspector on behalf of
the Joint-committee to her by e-mail. RESOLVED to authorise the Llŷn AONB
Service Manager to submit observations based on the information below on the
appeal to the Inspector on behalf of the Joint-committee: ·
The
Joint-committee considers that approving the application would have a
substantial detrimental effect on the Llŷn
AONB. It is considered that the proposal
is contrary to the Joint-committee’s duty under the Countryside and Rights of
Way Act 2000. ·
Applications
for wind turbines in the locality had been refused and the appeal should be
dismissed. ·
The
Joint-committee disagreed with the observations of Natural Resources Wales
(NRW) which noted that it was not considered that there would be a substantial
detrimental impact. The Inspector is
asked to take into account the specialist local opinion of the Joint-committee
which is contrary to the opinion of NRW’s desk-top exercise. It was felt that there was inconsistency in
NRW’s observations on planning matters. ·
The
consultation document of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Draft Deposit Local
Development Plan 2011-26 noted that wind turbines of more than 15 metres were
not permitted in Llŷn to prevent substantial
detrimental impact on the AONB and this has been supported by several bodies,
including the Joint-committee. ·
It is
believed that the economic need does not outweigh the damage caused to the
AONB. |
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LOCAL MEMBERS AND THE JAC PDF 268 KB To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager. Minutes: Submitted – the report of the
Llŷn AONB Service Manager regarding
consideration of changing the constitution of the Joint Advisory Committee in
relation to the number of Local Members (Councillors) on the Joint Advisory
Committee following a request by a member for the Joint Advisory Committee to
consider the matter. It was noted that in the
current system, local members were changed following each electoral period with
five Local Members serving on the Joint Advisory Committee at the same
time. A member noted that the
electoral boundaries would be changing following the Local Council elections in
May 2017 and the current system should be retained until the boundaries were
changed. RESOLVED to keep to the present arrangement
for the time being but arrangements to be made to amend the constitution to
enable every Local Member to be a member of the Joint Advisory Committee by May
2017. |