Erection of a primary care
centre, access, parking and drainage
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor
Edgar Owen
Decision:
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.
Minutes:
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.
Supporting documents: