skip to main content

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room, Frondeg, Pwllheli, LL53 5RE.. View directions

Contact: Bethan Adams  01286 679020

Items
No. Item

1.

CHAIR

To elect a chair for 2016/17.

Minutes:

RESOLVED to elect Councillor T. Victor Jones as Chairman for the year 2016/17.

2.

VICE-CHAIR

To elect a vice-chair for 2016/17.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED to elect Councillor Angela Russell as Vice-chair for the year 2016/17.

3.

APOLOGIES

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Councillor Gareth Roberts, Hedd Rhys (NFU Wales), Laura Hughes (National Trust) and Gwynedd Archaeology Trust.

4.

DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST

            To receive any declaration of personal interest.

Minutes:

No declarations of personal interest were received from any members present.

 

5.

URGENT ITEMS

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

6.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 313 KB

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of this committee, held on 18 November 2015, be signed as a true record.

Minutes:

The Chairman signed the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, that took place on 18 November 2015 as a true record.

7.

FUTURE LANDSCAPES WALES pdf icon PDF 387 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.

Minutes:

The report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager was submitted providing an update on the Review of Designated Landscapes commissioned by the Welsh Government. It was reported that the next step would be for the Chairman of the Wales Designated Landscapes development programme to summarise all the conclusions and recommendations and submit these to Lesley Griffiths AM, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and Rural Affairs, for further consideration.

 

Members were given an opportunity to give their observations and the Llŷn AONB Service Manager responded as follows:

·        That it was likely that there would be a further consultation once the Cabinet Secretary had considered the information;

·        That it was adaptations rather than major changes that would stem from the work and a priority system for action would be given - short, medium and long-term;

·        That a message had been conveyed during the discussions in terms of the need for higher financial resources than currently received and future financial assurance;

·        That a message would be sent to Lord Dafydd Ellis-Thomas, Chair of the development programme regarding the need to consider Crown Land;

·        That it was unlikely that the management of the National Parks and the AONBs would join, however consideration would be given to have one overall brand across both designations;

·        That no change was anticipated in legislation in the short/medium term;

·        The conclusions of the development programme were similar to that noted in the report on the Review of Designated Landscapes. 

 

RESOLVED:

(i)     to accept the report;

(ii)    that the Llŷn AONB Service Manager sends a message to Lord Dafydd Ellis-Thomas, Chair of the development programme regarding the need to consider Crown Land.

 

8.

ANGLESEY AND GWYNEDD JOINT LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2011-26 pdf icon PDF 314 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager providing an update on the process to adopt the Gwynedd and Anglesey Local Development Plan 2011-26.   He noted that policies relevant to the Area of Beauty in the Draft Deposit Plan were discussed in the Joint Committee on 25 March 2015, and the response of the Joint Committee to the consultation was sent to the Joint Planning Policy Unit.

 

It was reported that the next step would be to conduct an Independent Inspection with two independent Inspectors to consider all the objections that had not been resolved. It was noted that the observations would be dealt with in writing or in a hearing, dependent on the wish of those who had submitted observations. 

 

A member noted that the observations of the Joint Committee should be presented to the hearing as the case could be made stronger.

 

The Llŷn AONB Service Manager guided members through the appendix which comprised details of the observations made by the Joint Committee and the response of officers from the Joint Planning Policy Unit to those, together with an additional document shared during the meeting noting the changes made to relevant sections of the Plan following the consultation. 

 

There followed a discussion on the comments and if they should be taken further to a hearing.

 

A member noted his disappointment that so many of the observations had not been received by officers in the Joint Planning Policy Unit.

 

A member referred to information submitted by Hanfod in the context of the impact on the Welsh Language. He noted that the Joint-Committee's support should be given to the information submitted by Hanfod to the inspection.

 

In response to a question by a member, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that the hearings would be public and he would send the details and arrangements of the hearings to members. 

 

A member noted that consideration should be given to sharing the load in terms of presenting the observations, rather than all the responsibility falling on the Chair. In response, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that he would discuss the matter with the Chair when the information for submission was considered. 

 

RESOLVED:

(i)     that the Chair presents the case in a hearing in the context of the following matters:

·           Policy ADN1 - 'On-shore Wind Energy';

·           Policy ADN2 - 'Other Renewable Energy Technologies' - expanding further on the Joint Committee's views;

·           Policy TWR 5 ‘Touring Caravan, Camping and Temporary Alternative Camping Accommodation';

·           Strategic Policy PS16 - 'Conserving and enhancing the natural environment';

·           Policy AMG3 - 'Coastal Protection'.

(ii)    that the Llŷn AONB Service Manager sends the details and arrangements of the hearings to members.

 

9.

SOLAR DEVELOPMENTS pdf icon PDF 463 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The AONB Project Officer submitted a report that included general information regarding solar developments, information regarding planning applications in the Llŷn area and the latest regarding payments for generating electricity via a solar renewable method following a request by the Joint Committee at its previous committee on 18 November 2015. 

 

In response to the comments by members that some small solar developments had not been included, it was noted that the Unit had sought to draft a list of comprehensive solar development applications for the period 2000-16, however all the applications had not been listed. 

 

Attention was drawn to the fact that only one solar panels farm was located within the Area of Beauty namely at Dwyryd, Penisarwaun. It was noted that it was situated on land that sloped and was not visible from high ground as it was screened.

 

A member noted that it was unlikely that there would be many new applications for this type of development as the feed-in tariff was ending. He added the need to draft a Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Joint Local Development Plan to control solar developments in Gwynedd and Anglesey. 

 

In response to an observation by a member regarding solar developments of a specific size, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that planning applications for this type of development was discussed with the Chair, and in accordance with the decision of the Joint Committee in its previous meeting, the Chair may convene a special meeting of the Joint Committee to give specific attention to individual planning applications that would harm the AONB. 

 

RESOLVED to accept the report.

10.

AONB MANAGEMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 403 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager providing an update on the work of updating and reviewing the AONB Management Plan. Members were guided through two draft chapters of Section 2 of the management plan namely 'Landscape and Coast' and 'Access, Enjoyment and Contribution' that were an appendix to the report.  It was noted that the aim was to bring the remainder of the chapters in Section 2 of the revised plan before the next meeting of the Joint Committee in the Autumn.

 

Members were given an opportunity to give their observations and the Llŷn AONB Service Manager responded as follows:

·        That the reference to lead and manganese works had been included in another section of the plan however a reference to the works would be added under the heading 'Special Features' in the chapter 'Landscape and Coast';

·        Under highway matters the need to undertake minor improvements to the A4417 between Nefyn and Llanaelhaearn that would be sympathetic to the landscape under the heading 'Contentious Issues' was further expanded upon in the chapter 'Landscape and Coast';    

·        That Tre'r Ceiri would be added under the list of hill forts under the heading 'Character of the Landscape' in the chapter 'Landscape and Coast';

·        That there was a link between the Joint Local Development Plan and that the Joint Planning Policy Unit now accepted the need for a reference to the AONB Management Plan in the joint plan.  References would be added in the Joint Local Development Plan to the management plan in order to make it stronger;

·        That the information included regarding wind turbines under policy TP8 was intentionally open-ended in order to be able to deal with planning applications individually. It was noted that it would be Gwynedd Council that would adopt the Management Plan and it would have to comply with the Joint Local Development Plan, however, the contents would be adapted to reflect the comments made in the context of the joint plan referring to the statement of the Joint Committee in the context of planning applications for wind turbines; 

·        That the option of revising the format of the plan would be looked at in terms of placing the background information together to be more low-key under the policies.

·        The Welsh and English versions would be harmonised in terms of language use and to use the word 'oppose' in English when 'gwrthsefyll' is used in Welsh;

·        Regarding policy TP3, the wording would be revised to note that new significant developments that have a detrimental impact on the AONB will be opposed;

·        Reference was made to the need for the Welsh Government to act on the automatic rights to roam included in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 or to create a new act in terms of access rights under the heading 'Contentious Issues' in the chapter 'Access, Enjoyment and Contribution' where the impact of coastal erosion on the Coastal Path is expanded upon;

·        A reference will be added on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.