Agenda item

Siting of 4 seasonal holiday accomodation units in the form of shepherd huts together with a shower hut (amended application to that refused under reference number C18/0393/20/LL).

 

LOCAL MEMBER:    Councillor Gareth Wyn Griffith

 

Link to relevant background documents

Siting of four seasonal holiday accommodation units in the form of shepherds' huts together with a shower hut (amended application from that refused under reference C18/0393/20/LL).

 

(a)     The Senior Development Control Officer elaborated on the background to the application and noted that the application had been deferred at the Committee meeting held on 15 October 2018 in order to undertake a site visit. Some members had visited the site prior to the meeting.

 

         It was noted that the proposal was not acceptable in principle based on its location, scale and detrimental impact on the amenities of the local area.

 

         It was explained that the application site was located in the corner of an open field on the coast near the banks of the Menai Strait. It was noted that despite the surrounding area not being recognised or designated a special landscape it was believed that the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the character and feel of the local landscape/park land as it would create an intrusive development in a rural landscape.

 

         It was recommended to refuse the application on the grounds of the detrimental impact on visual amenities and the detrimental impact of the proposed development on residential and general amenities of nearby residents.

 

(b)     Exercising her right to speak, an objector noted the following main points:-

·         That she represented a group of seven houses at Llanfair Hall;

·         The location of the units had been moved a little from the location on the original application but that they would continue to be a blot on the open landscape;

·         The proposal would have an impact on wildlife and biodiversity;

·         Concern regarding the impact on the tranquillity of the area;

·         Concern about its impact on the Anglesey Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty;

·         Approving the application would set a precedent for such developments on the banks of the Menai Strait.

 

(c)     The local member (not a member of this Planning Committee) noted the following main points:-

·         That he had supported the application at the previous meeting and that he remained supportive of the application;

·         The residents of Llanfair Hall had contacted him for the first time on the morning of the meeting;

·         The development would be located approximately 130 metres away from the houses;

·         The units were seasonal and would be removed;

·         The proposal complied with tourism and economic policies;

·         The units would be screened by the trees and would not have an impact on the residents;

·         The Transportation Unit did not object to the proposal;

·         Understood that the house closest to the development was a second home;

·         Asked the Committee to accept that which the applicant had stated at the previous meeting and to support local people.

 

(ch)  It was proposed and seconded to refuse the application.

 

During the ensuing discussion, members noted the following main observations:

 

·         Although they sympathised with the applicant, the development was in the wrong location. The applicant should discuss with the officers whether there was a better location on their land that was less visible;

·         Concern about the impact of the development on a nearby house, the fact that it was a second home was irrelevant;

·         A higher hedge would affect the view;

·         Appreciated having the site visit where the proximity to the first house could be seen. Liked the shepherd huts, a shame that the plans could not be amended rather than refuse the application;

·         If the applicant were to discuss with officers, it would not be impossible for such an application to be acceptable.

 

RESOLVED to refuse the application.

 

         Reasons:

 

1.    The proposed development is contrary to the requirements of Policy TWR5, PCYFF3, PS14 and AMG 3 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan (2017) together with Supplementary Planning Guidance: Holiday Accommodation as it would create an obtrusive development at the expense of safeguarding the visual amenities of the local landscape.

 

2.    The proposed development is contrary to the requirements of Policy PCYFF 2 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan (2017) as it would have a detrimental impact on the residential and general amenities of nearby residents on the grounds of noise disturbance and would be an oppressive development. The development is also contrary to national guidance contained in Planning Policy Wales (2017), NCT 13 Tourism and NCT 23 Economic Development, which state that harm to residential amenities should be avoided, and that economic developments should be guided to the most appropriate locations.