Erection of five dwellings
with associated access, parking and landscaping.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor
Dylan Bullard
Decision:
DECISION:
To delegate
powers to the Assistant Head of the Environment Department to approve the
application subject to determine an appropriate discount to limit the value of
the two affordable houses and the completion of a Section 106 Agreement to
ensure that both houses are affordable for local need and to relevant
conditions relating to:
1. Time
2. Compliance with plans
3. Agree on
details of external materials including slate and finishes
4. Landscaping
/ Trees
5. Drainage
matters
6. Biodiversity
Matters
7. Archaeological
Matters
8. Removal of PD Affordable Housing rights
9. Highways
Matters
10. Agree on a
Welsh name/signs
11. Agree on a
Building Management Plan
12. Protection
measures and improve the hedge
13. Agreement on
boundary treatment details
Notes:
SUDS and Welsh Water
Minutes:
Erection
of five dwellings together with access, parking and landscaping
Attention was drawn to the late observations form.
a)
The Planning Manager highlighted that this was a full application
to construct five dwellings as well as modifying an access, creating an estate
road and parking spaces together with landscaping. The site was located on the outskirts of the
town of Pwllheli in an area known as Denio, with residential dwellings to the south and one
located opposite the site.
The
dwellings would be two-storey with three detached and two semi-detached
dwellings. Externally, they would be
finished with pitched natural slate roofs with external wall finishes in a
combination of render, natural stone and timber.
It
was reported that the principle of a residential development on this site had
already been accepted and approved via the approval of the previous application
for 3 houses (one being affordable). Although there was an evident increase
between the current application and the previous in terms of the number of
houses, it was felt that the existing proposal offered a better quality
development making the best of a site that had not been previously achieved in
terms of density and housing mix for development. In addition, it was noted that the current proposal proposed two affordable
houses. It was considered that the existing proposal
was an improvement as it provided one additional affordable house and offered
improved density in line with the current requirements.
In the context of
transportation matters, it was highlighted that
concerns had been highlighted by local residents regarding the impact of the
proposal on the local roads network, the increasing impact considering other
developments in the nearby area, as well as the existing movements made from
the residential houses in the area and the Coleg
Meirion Dwyfor site nearby. The Transportation Unit was consulted on the application and they had no objection
to the proposal in terms of a harmful impact on the local roads network.
It was accepted
that the site stood alone and away from the town centre and that
there was no existing connection, such as a footway, between the site and the
town. However, it was considered that the lack of a
footway was a feature of the area and along a number of streets between the
site and the town as well as the areas of Penrallt
and Denio in general.
It was reported that traffic calming measures
kept traffic speeds low and appropriate. Although the
concerns received were noted, it was not considered that the proposal would
cause substantial unacceptable harm to the safe and efficient operation of the
highway and that it was, as a result, acceptable in terms of the relevant
requirements of policy TRA 4, whilst the number of parking spaces proposed were
acceptable in terms of the requirements of policy TRA 2.
It was reported
that biodiversity, archaeological and infrastructure matters were acceptable
and reference was made to the response to the language statement in the late
observations form which noted that the Language Unit
did not have any comments to make on the application. It was noted that the
statement included all relevant information and as a result
of the size of the development and the proposal to market both open market
units locally, that the assessment of neutral impact was reasonable.
Having considered
all relevant planning matters, including local and national policies and
guidance, as well as all the observations received during the period of public
consultation from statutory consultees and local residents, along with the
planning history, the proposal was considered acceptable and in compliance with
the requirements of the relevant policies.
b) Taking
advantage of the right to speak, the applicant’s agent noted the following
points:
·
That there was extant planning permission on the site
for three detached houses - relatively substantial houses according to those
plans.
·
The proposal was to increase the number of houses to
five, thus creating a better mix of houses on the site and adding one
affordable house. This would lead to three open market houses and two
affordable houses.
·
The proposal with the one four-bedroom open market
house was that it would be built for the applicant as
he was eager to move to this specific house on the site. The applicant had been brought up in Pwllheli
and had brought up a family in Pwllheli. The
applicant had held discussions with many local people who had made enquiries
with him regarding buying a house beforehand - the other 2
three-bedroom open market houses on the site.
·
Enquiries had also been made
regarding the number of houses that would comply with the local market housing
policy, although the policy was not specifically used in Pwllheli.
·
The two affordable houses had been the subject of
discussions with housing associations, and the proposal was that the houses would be sold or rented out through an agreement with a housing
association, such as Adra.
·
That discussions
were being held with the Policy Department, the Language Department and with
the Housing Strategic Unit regarding the application, and previously with
Natural Resources Wales. It was reported that everyone
supported the application and that it was important to note that there were no
substantial local objections to this development. It was felt that the design
of the houses was of high quality and as the site was on the boundary of the
town, that the landscaping plan was also of high quality.
·
The Policy Department confirmed in its response that
the proposal could meet the need of the local community, and thus retain the
local linguistic balance. The developer was committed to give the proposal a
Welsh name, and discussions had already been held with local families regarding
the marketing element (which is anticipated to be very restricted with this
application).
c) It
was proposed and seconded to approve the application.
ch) During
the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by Members:
·
That there was extant permission for 3 houses - an
increase in affordable houses was to be welcomed
·
Concern about road safety - acknowledged that
solutions were difficult
d) In response to concerns about public safety along the
road, the Senior Development Control Engineer accepted that
the road was very narrow and served at least 25 houses and the College in the
area. He reiterated that traffic speed restrictions had been
imposed and that there were speed humps along the road. Nevertheless, he
expressed that an increase of 3 - 5 dwellings was unlikely to make a huge
difference to the situation and that the existing arrangement of sharing a
space seemed to be effective.
RESOLVED:
To
delegate the right to the Assistant Head of Environment to approve the application,
subject to determining an appropriate discount to restrict the value of both
affordable dwellings and complete a 106 Agreement to ensure that the two houses
are affordable for local need and to relevant
conditions relating to:
1. Time
2. Compliance with plans
3. Agree on details of external materials
including slate and finishes
4. Landscaping / Trees
5. Drainage matters
6. Biodiversity Matters
7. Archaeological Matters
8. Removal
of PD Affordable Housing rights
9. Highways Matters
10. Agreement on a Welsh name / signage
11. Agree on a Building Management Plan
12. Protection measures and improve the hedge
13. Agreement on boundary treatment details
Notes:
SUDS and Welsh Water
Supporting documents: