Agenda item

Outline application with all matters reserved for the provision of 9 dwellings with integrated garages.

 

LOCAL MEMBER:    Councillor Gareth A. Roberts

 

Link to relevant background documents

An outline application with all matters reserved to erect nine new houses with integrated garages

 

(a)      The Development Control Manager elaborated on the background of the application and noted that the indicative plans had been submitted these suggested the size, setting and likely elevations of the proposed development that includes three rows of three, three-storey houses with three bedrooms each.  Seven of the units would be for the open market and two would be offered as affordable houses.

 

The site was located within the Bangor city development boundary which had not been specifically designated for any specific use.  It was explained that the land level rose to the front which abutted the existing access road towards the Maes Berea estate to the south and west.  The existing estate was established and comprised approximately 55 houses that were a mixture of two and three-storey houses.

 

Attention was drawn to the relevant planning policies and the responses to the consultation process noted in the report. 

 

Letters of objection to the proposal had been received and were noted in the report.

 

It was noted that the principle of the proposal was acceptable and it was a logical extension of the existing estate and the indicative plans conveyed and reflected what had already been approved and built within the rest of the estate. 

 

Two out of the eight units were offered as affordable houses.  Additional observations had been received from the Joint Planning Policy Unit which stated the need for housing identified by Tai Teg in 2018.  The statistics suggested that one to three bedroomed houses were more likely to address the current and anticipated future demand in terms of market housing and affordable housing. It was noted that the required evidence to support the recommendation to refuse the application on the grounds of a mixture of houses had not been received, bearing in mind that the proposal was preparing two affordable units as part of the proposal.

 

The Transportation Unit had no objection to the proposal.

 

Due to the scale of the application and its location as well as its existing natural features, it was considered that the proposal complied with the relevant local and national policies.   Therefore it was recommended to delegate powers to the Senior Planning Manager to approve the application subject to the completion of a 106 Agreement to ensure that two of the nine houses subject of this application are affordable, and to relevant planning conditions. 

 

(b)     It was proposed and seconded to approve the application.

 

(c)     Attention was drawn that Tai Teg had noted on the additional observations form of the need for 180 two-bedroom units against 124 three-bedroom units, it was therefore asked why there was not a better mixture of housing on the site in question.   

 

(ch)   In response, the Planning Manager referred to the comments of the Joint Planning Policy Unit on the additional observations form and the fact that officers were not confident that they currently had the necessary evidence to support the recommendation to refuse the application on the grounds of a mixture of housing.  It was highlighted that the site was in Bangor and that a high number of houses had been approved recently with a good mixture of provision available. It was also noted that this was an outline application. 

 

(a)       A response to the additional enquiries was given as follows:

 

·         That a reserved matters application would not necessarily be submitted to the Committee but the applicant would have to submit an application within a specific time. 

·         That 20% was the expectation for affordable housing in Bangor and North /South Arfon in accordance with the Local Development Plan. 

 

Resolved:          To delegate powers to the Senior Planning Manager to approve the application subject to the completion of a 106 Agreement to ensure that two of the nine houses that are the subject of this application are affordable, and to relevant conditions relating to:-

 

1. Time

2. Reserved Matters

3. Finished land and floor level details

4. Materials including use of natural slate

            5. Landscaping.

            6. Highways.

            7. Withdrawal of permitted development rights on the two affordable houses.

            8. Welsh Water condition regarding the drainage plan.

            9. Biodiversity