To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration.
Minutes:
The AONB Service Manager
noted that an amended application on the site of 'The Shanty, Abersoch', had been submitted to the Planning Service
(application no. C17/1024/39/LL). Members were reminded that the Joint Committee
had discussed the original application at the previous meeting on 6 September
2017 and had submitted the below observations to the Planning Service:
Ø That the Llŷn AONB Joint Advisory Committee objected to the
application on the following grounds:
·
The proposal would be an
over-development of this prominent site with a substantially larger footprint
than the present dwelling.
·
The development would be
intrusive.
Ø That the Joint Advisory
Committee was concerned about the cumulative impact of such developments on the
AONB.
He noted that the
original application had been refused by the Planning Committee on 25 September
2017.
He
reported that the Planning Committee at its meeting on 18 December had
postponed the decision on the amended application in order to give the Joint
Committee the opportunity to submit observations about the application.
It
was noted that the size of the house in the proposal had been reduced, a garage
was no longer part of the amended application and there would be more vegetation
around the development as it was smaller. He noted that he had submitted
observations to the Planning Service about the application on behalf of the
AONB Unit, in accordance with procedure. He explained that, as a chartered
planner, he was qualified to submit observations on planning applications.
He noted that he had submitted observations
on the application about the matters concerning the impact on the AONB and that
he was of the opinion that:
·
A commendable effort had been made to try to design
the building so that it would be in keeping with the unique site on the end of
the Peninsula and that the design standard was higher than that of the
buildings on either side which were more urban and lacking in character;
·
That the materials on
the whole were appropriate for the coastal setting;
·
Having weighed up the
details of the application, that the proposal would not affect the AONB.
He
highlighted that the AONB Unit had submitted observations expressing concerns
about a number of applications to demolish and rebuild in the Abersoch area, for example, the Harbour Hotel, White House
Hotel and Blaen y Wawr, but
that the applications had nevertheless been approved.
He drew members' attention to the plans and
pictures of the development that had been displayed at the meeting, stating
that one plan showed the difference between the original application and the
amended application. He stated that a representative from Cadnant
Planning (the agent for the application) was in attendance and that she would
respond to members' questions. Members were given an opportunity to look at the
plans and pictures.
During
the ensuing discussion, members made the following main observations:
·
Although the size of the
house had been reduced, there was still concern as it was over three floors
with extensive use of glass on a prominent site;
·
That the house was
larger than the original house and the proposed house would not be in the exact
same location as the existing house;
·
Concern about the
cumulative effect of such developments on the area;
·
Historic buildings
needed to be protected and the proposal would be an over-development of the
site with an incongruous design;
·
Approving the
application would set a precedent.
In response to the members' observations, the
representative from Cadnant Planning noted:
·
The house would take up 25% of the site's area with
the rest of the land available for effective landscaping. Some other houses in
the area took up approximately 60% of their site with less land available for
landscaping;
·
The house had been reduced by 25% compared to the
original application;
·
The AONB safeguarding
policy did not state that a different design contravened policy;
·
That the proposed house was within the development
boundary and had a layered design in order to blend in with its site;
·
The principle of the
proposal was acceptable;
·
The size of the proposed
house was approximately two or three times the size of the existing house, but
that it would only take up 25% of the site.
A
member noted that a meeting of the Joint Committee should be called when a
large planning application was submitted in the AONB so that members were given
the opportunity to consider it before the Llŷn
AONB Service Manager sent observations to the Planning Service.
In
response, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted
that he was employed by Gwynedd Council and, in accordance with the service
agreement, he had submitted observations on the application to the Planning
Service. He emphasised that his role was different from that of the Joint Committee.
He noted that the planning application under consideration was a new
application and that there had not been a meeting of the Joint Committee during
the consultation period on the application.
In
response to members' observations about planning policies, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager stated that the Joint
Committee's role was to consider the visual impact of a development on the
landscape and coastline of the AONB.
RESOLVED
to submit the following observations for the attention of the Planning Service
in relation to the planning application of 'The Shanty, Abersoch'
(application no. C17/0124/39/LL):
Ø Despite acknowledging
that the plan has been amended since the previous application, the Llŷn AONB Consultative Committee continue to object to
the application on the grounds that:
·
The proposal would be an over-development of this prominent site with a
substantially larger footprint than the present dwelling.
·
The development would be intrusive.