Agenda item

Erection of a primary care centre, access, parking and drainage

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Edgar Owen

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION:

 

To delegate powers to the Assistant Head of the Environment Department to approve the application, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1.    Five years.

2.    In accordance with the plans.

3.    Slates.

4.    Samples of external materials.

5.    Undertake the landscaping work within a specified period.

6.    Highways Conditions.

7.    Submit a Construction Environmental Management Plan (to include a pollution prevention plan to be able to undertake a detailed assessment of the impact of the development on afon Gwyrfai).

8.    Submit a Biodiversity Enhancements and Habitats Management Plan.

9.    Submit a Bio-security Risk assessment.

10.  Comply with mitigation measures noted in the Preliminary Ecological Assessment.

11.  Submit details of site boundary treatments (to indicate location and type of fences etc.)

12.  Agree with details of a Welsh name for the centre and associated signage/notices.

13.  Working hours limited to 08:00 - 18:00 during the week, 08:00 - 13:00 on a Saturday and no working at all on Sundays and Bank/National Holidays.

14.  Submit a plan to install a barrier across the proposed access.

15.  Submit an external lighting plan.

16.  A condition to safeguard trees that are on the site boundaries.

17.  Grasscrete condition on the parking area near the houses 

 

Note: Submit a sustainable water drainage system (SuDS) plan to the Council's Water and Environment Unit.

 

Erection of a primary healthcare centre, access, parking and drainage

 

          Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

 

a)    The Senior Development Control Officer elaborated on the application's background and noted that it was a full application to construct a primary healthcare centre, access, parking, landscaping and a drainage plan in Waunfawr. It was explained that the site was located outside, but directly near the Waunfawr development boundary as noted in the LDP, but it had not been designated for any specific land use.  It was reported that the current surgery in Waunfawr would move to the new, purposefully built site.

 

It was highlighted that there were several elements to the application:

·         Erection of a single-storey and two-storey building in "L" shape form with a floor area size of 990m square to include community services areas, shared areas such as meeting rooms, changing rooms and offices along with a doctors' practice. The proposal would increase the number of existing employees from 29 to 35.

·         Provision of parking spaces for 38 visitors, 15 spaces for staff and 6 spaces for disabled visitors.

·         Landscaping on the peripheries and within the site.

·         Sustainable drainage plan.

·         Creation of a new footpath to run parallel to the northern boundary of the site with the class I county highway (A4085) and creation of footpaths within the site itself.

·         Creation of a new access to the site from the adjacent class I county highway.

·         Provision of a bin store along with bicycle provision.

 

Reference was made to one of the policies that were relevant to the application, namely Policy ISA2 of the LDP, which supported the maintenance and enhancement of community facilities, although criteria had to be met:

-       i) they are located within or adjoining development boundaries where the proposal will provide an essential facility to support the local community. In this case, it was considered that the application site abutted the village's development boundary, with information received as part of the application, stating that there was a real need for a new health facility in Waunfawr that would respond in full to the health needs of the local population and the population of the catchment area.

-       ii) in the case of new buildings, the local community cannot be satisfied by making dual use of existing facilities or converting existing buildings. In this case, four sites within the village were considered; however, for reasons relating to restricted size, access/parking shortcomings and proximity to other buildings, it was decided that this application site was the most suitable for a new health centre.

-       iii) where the proposal is for a facility being relocated, it can be demonstrated that the existing site is no longer suitable for that use. In this case, there are insufficient facilities within the current surgery to respond to the various and increasing demands of the patients in the local community. The current site was not big enough to extend the current facility to respond effectively to the health needs of the community.

-       iv) that the proposal is of an appropriate scale and type compared to the size, character and function of the settlement. In this case, it was considered that the scale, location and design of the building had been the subject of prior discussions with Planning Officers and that changes had been made to the original plans in order to consider visual amenities and the residential amenities of nearby residents. It was considered that the location and setting of the site adjacent to the village's development boundary was acceptable and that it created a logical extension to the ribbon form of this part of the village and that it would not have an unacceptable detrimental impact on the visual amenities of the area.

-       v) that the proposal is easily accessible by foot, cycle and public transport. In this case, it was considered that the site, despite its location outside the development boundary, was accessible to various alternative modes of transport, including public transport, by foot and by bicycle. However, it is anticipated that it would be inevitable for some patients to visit the centre by means of a vehicle due to their condition or personal circumstances.

 

In the context of general and residential amenities, objections were received on the grounds that the proposal, if approved, would, i) have a detrimental impact on the privacy of nearby dwellings; ii) opening up the fields behind the dwellings would raise security concerns; iii) an increase in traffic would create noise nuisance, at the detriment of residential amenities. The responses were highlighted per heading:

 

-       Privacy: the building itself is located on the western part of the site so it avoids overlooking into the gardens of the dwellings known as Llwydiarth, Cobweb Cottage and Ty'n Llain. Consequently, the patient car park will be set behind these dwellings. Whilst accepting that loss of views is not a material planning consideration, loss of privacy and overlooking are relevant and valid considerations. It was accepted (compared with the current situation), that there will be an element of overlooking towards Ty'n Llain by the users of the car park; however, it was considered that this would be for brief periods of time and so it does not lead to permanent, direct or unacceptable overlooking to the house (and others nearby). It was reiterated that a condition could be imposed noting that a close boarded timber fence is erected along the boundaries of the car park, along with a grasscrete condition on the parking area near the houses.

 

-       Security - concern relating to opening up the rear of the dwellings, which would create a convenient access to the dwellings themselves. In order to alleviate such a concern, it was highlighted that the applicant's agent has expressed the possibility of placing a barrier across the access when the centre is closed.

 

-       Noise nuisance - should it be approved, it is recognised that the proposal will generate noise that could be louder than current noise levels around the application site. It was reported that a short statement relating to noise has been submitted with the application, noting: i) that no residential accommodation will be a part of the application; ii) the building has been set so as to reduce noise, with the windows arranged to restrict noise, iii) the building has been built using cavity walls; iv) that the building will not have any equipment that would emit noise - these will be located within the building.

 

It is intended to create a new access directly to the adjacent class 1 county highway (A4085) and to provide a footpath/pavement along the front of the site and extend the current footpath. The Transportation Unit highlighted that the application site was accessible to local residents and they did not have an objection to the application, subject to the inclusion of relevant conditions and notes.   

 

In the context of flooding issues, objections were received in relation to the stream running through the site, which tends to flood during heavy rainfall, which leads to flooding on the main road. In response to these concerns, it was noted that the Water and Environment Unit had expressed that they were aware that the stream had flooded in the past; however, it was considered that this had happened due to a lack of maintenance by the landowner. It was also noted that the Unit was aware that water accumulated on the county road and consequently, the area was being considered by the Council for a catchment area flood prevention plan.

 

It was considered that the proposal, as submitted, would be a substantial improvement in the medical and health provision for the local community and the broader area and that the development as a whole would not cause a substantial harmful impact that is contrary to relevant national planning policies and advice.

 

b)      It was proposed and seconded to approve the application

 

       RESOLVED

 

To delegate powers to the Assistant Head of the Environment Department to approve the application, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1.  Five years.

2.  In accordance with the plans.

3.  Slates.

4.  Samples of external materials.

5.  Undertake the landscaping work within a specified period.

6.  Highways Conditions.

7.  Submit a Construction Environmental Management Plan (to include a pollution prevention plan to be able to undertake a detailed assessment of the impact of the development on afon Gwyrfai).

8.  Submit a Biodiversity Enhancements and Habitats Management Plan.

9.  Submit a Bio-security Risk assessment.

10.  Comply with mitigation measures noted in the Preliminary Ecological Assessment.

11.  Submit details of site boundary treatments (to indicate location and type of fences etc.)

12.  Agree with details of a Welsh name for the centre and associated signage/notices.

13.  Working hours limited to 08:00 - 18:00 during the week, 08:00 - 13:00 on a Saturday and no working at all on Sundays and Bank/National Holidays.

14.  Submit a plan to install a barrier across the proposed access.

15.  Submit an external lighting plan.

16.  A condition to safeguard trees that are on the site boundaries.

17.  Grasscrete condition on the parking area near the houses 

 

Note: Submit a sustainable water drainage system (SuDS) plan to the Council's Water and Environment Unit.