Agenda item

Create a new car park, access, street lighting together with associated engineering Works

 

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillors Berwyn Parry Jones and Jason Wayne Parry

 

Link to relevant background documents

 

Creation of a new car park, access, street lighting along with associated engineering works.

 

          Attention was drawn to the additional observations that had been received.

 

(a)       The Senior Development Control Officer elaborated on the background to the application and noted that it was a full application to create a park and share facility for the construction work of the Wylfa power station. It was noted that the facility would accommodate approximately 153 vehicles which included parking for the disabled, electric vehicles and motor bikes.

 

Reference was made to the relevant policies noted in the report.  It was reported that the public consultation period had ended and that one objection had been received on the grounds that the proposed bypass and car park would have a detrimental impact on the Fferm Bodrual holiday accommodation business.

 

In terms of the principle of the development and that the site was located adjacent to, but outside, the Caernarfon development boundary as included in the LDP, policy PCYFF1 along with policies PS12 and PS9 would apply in this instance. Having considered these policies, it was considered that the proposal was acceptable in principle given that the Local Development Plan permitted such a development on this parcel of land along with the fact that its location opposite the industrial estate was crucial given its proximity and accessibility to the local roads network that would serve Wylfa.

 

Although the site was located in the countryside, in the context of visual amenities it was considered that the impact of the bypass would be much greater and broader than the impact of the car park on the local landscape given its design, the landscape plan and the scale of the proposal compared with the design and scale of the bypass.

 

In the context of residential and general amenities, it had already been noted that an objection had been received from the occupants of Fferm Bodrual which was located approximately 100m from the application site. In the context of the application, it was considered that creating a car park next to an industrial estate and to the west of a new bypass would not create a significant increase in noise disturbance and that it would not lead to loss of privacy given the distance between the application site and the property/holiday accommodation, along with the fact that the bypass would be located between the two sites.

 

(b)       When considering highway matters, the need to update this consideration was highlighted as Welsh Government had confirmed that they had no objection to the application, subject to including an appropriate condition.

 

It was reiterated that the recommendation had been modified to delegate the right to the Senior Planning Manager to approve the application, subject to receiving favourable observations from Natural Resources Wales and imposing additional conditions.

 

In response to a question, the officer highlighted that the car park would be available to the public should Wylfa not go ahead.

 

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

 

(ch)   During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by members:

·         Concern regarding the security of parking cars in the car park for a long period.

·         On-site management and supervision was required to deter travellers.

·         Park and Share facility was welcomed.

·         There was a local need for the provision.

·         Provision for electric vehicles was welcomed.

 

·         Was there justification for developing outside the boundary?

·         There was no certainty that Wylfa would go ahead.

·         Who would fund the initiative in light of difficult cuts by the Authority?

 

(d)     In response to a question about the security plan of the site given that it was located in an open area, and whether CCTV was part of that plan, officers noted that it would be possible to add a note for the developer to act upon.

 

         In response to management plans, it was assumed that the Transportation Unit had considered this when submitting the application.

 

         In response to an observation that the development was outside the development boundary, it was noted that there was justification for this as the principle and location were acceptable.

 

         In response to an observation about the Wylfa development, it was noted that Wylfa had sped up the process and, although there was uncertainty regarding the impact of Wylfa on Gwynedd, it was anticipated that this provision would meet local need.

 

         In response to an observation regarding the cost and funding of the initiative, it was highlighted that these were not material considerations for the application.

 

RESOLVED to delegate the right to the Senior Planning Officer to approve the application subject to receiving favourable observations from Natural Resources Wales.

 

         Conditions:

1.            Five years.

2.            Comply with the plans.

3.            Welsh Water condition regarding the disposal of surface water from the site.

4.            Act in accordance with the recommendations of the Ecological Impacts Assessment.

5.            The landscaping shall be undertaken in the next planting season following the completion of development and shall be maintained thereafter.

 

Note to the applicant to ensure site security.