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Agenda item

Removal of condition 3 re planning permission C19/0323/11/LL which states 2 units out of 8 to affordable units

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Steve Collings

 

Link to relevant background documents

 

Minutes:

Revoke condition 3 of planning application C19/0323/11/LL which restricts two out of the eight units as affordable units

 

Attention was drawn to the late observations form that had been received

 

a)    The Planning Manager elaborated on the background of the application and noted that this was a full application to revoke condition 3 of planning permission C19/0323/11/LL which restricted two out of the eight permitted units as affordable units. The condition stated:-

 

The development shall not begin until a scheme for the provision the 2 affordable units as part of the development has been submitted to, and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The affordable units shall be provided in accordance with the approved scheme and shall meet the definition of affordable housing in Annex B of Planning Policy Wales, Technical Advice Note 2:  Planning and Affordable Housing, or any future guidance that replaces it. The scheme shall include:

i)       the timing of the completion of the two affordable units;

ii)      the arrangements for the management of the affordable units;

iii)     the arrangements to ensure that such provision is affordable for both first and subsequent occupiers of the affordable units; and

iv)      the occupancy criteria to be used for determining the identity of occupiers of the affordable units and the means by which such occupancy criteria shall be enforced.’

 

The condition was imposed as clear and definitive information had not been submitted (specifically the open market price), as part of the previous application for the affordable provision.  Nevertheless, it was considered that there was sufficient information to ensure that the Local Planning Authority could assess the application from the perspective of being able to ensure provision/an appropriate number of affordable housing as part of the application and in order to address the need.

 

It was explained that the site was located on Bangor High Street and the associated planning consent was application number C19/0323/11/LL.  The intention was to convert the first and second floors of the building into residential units.  The Committee approved this application in July 2019.

 

It was reported that the applicant had submitted information that included a viability assessment pro-forma, Property Valuation Report from a competent Chartered Surveyor, along with quotations for undertaking the conversion work.  An argument had been submitted regarding the viability of the proposal, and critically, information about the open market price for the units had been submitted.  It was noted that this type of information would normally be submitted with the application to convert or build and was considered early on in the process.   Nevertheless, the applicant, in respect of the first application, had not acted in this way but rather had stated that they accepted a condition in order to consider this after the planning consent had been granted.

 

Also, an assessment of the value of the units was submitted by a company of Chartered Surveyors, based on the requirements of the Red Book (2017).    It was reported that the open market value of the units would vary from £45,000 to £60,000 - the price had been restricted naturally due to the nature and scale of the site and the size of the units themselves. It was reiterated that the Council's Housing Strategic Unit had confirmed that the valuation of the proposed residential units was lower than the affordable price level (intermediate) for the Deiniol ward in Bangor and therefore, when considering the open market value of the residential units, the proposal would provide affordable units in any case, without a further restriction of a condition or 106 Agreement.

 

The condition was not considered necessary or reasonable in order to secure affordable units, as all units (8) would be affordable in any case.  It was reiterated that the application was acceptable on the grounds of the requirements of local policy and relevant national guidance.

           

b)    Taking advantage of the right to speak, the agent noted the following main points:-

·         This was an application to revoke a 106 agreement

·         That the proposal was not viable - a valuation and costs had been submitted

·         The units would be affordable in any case

·         That the size and design of the flats as low-cost homes met the relevant policies

·         That the Planning Authority did not disagree with the conversion

 

c)    It was proposed and seconded to approve the application, provided that the rent charged for the units was intermediate / affordable rent, considering that the units themselves were affordable.

 

              ch) During the ensuing discussion, the following points were made by individual Members:

·         That an explanation was needed about what was meant by 'intermediate salary'

·         Need to ensure that the rent was affordable

·         A request was made for figures regarding the number of flats approved in Bangor - it was suggested that there may now be an over-provision

 

d)    In response to the request to consider the rent element, the Solicitor noted that no rent assessment had been completed.  It was noted that full information was needed from the Housing Service, as the intention for the units was for them to be let.  It was suggested that the decision should be deferred.

 

RESOLVED to defer the decision in order to receive further information about the rental price of the unit and amended assessment to address this.

 

 

Supporting documents: