Agenda item
Application for
the change of use of land to provide a 19 unit touring caravan site together
with the provision of a toilet and shower block, track and play area.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Anwen Davies
Decision:
Minutes:
Application for the change the use of land into a
touring caravan site for 18 units, including the provision of a toilets and
shower building, track and play area within the site.
Attention was
drawn to the late observations form.
a)
The
Planning Manager highlighted that the application was a full application to
develop a new touring caravan park. The proposal would include using an
agricultural field for the siting of 18 touring caravans, toilet building,
improving the existing access and landscaping work along the existing clawdd/hedge.
The field where it was intended to site the touring caravans was
described as relatively flat.
It was noted
that the application had been originally submitted to the committee on
22/11/2021, where discussions were deferred in order to discuss the matter with
the applicant. Consequently, further details were received in the form of an
amended site plan, showing landscaping details, along with the relocation of a
row of caravans along the north-eastern boundary and a tree protection report
(21/10/22). The applicant had stated
their intention to plant along the south-eastern boundary; a toilet building
would be situated near the entrance and would measure 11 metres long and 3.75
metres wide, and it was not proposed to construct a track as an internal access
road or hardstandings for touring caravans.
The application
was submitted to committee as it involved the siting of touring units on land
measuring in excess of 0.5 hectares. The application site was designated as a Wildlife
Site Area and lands to the south-west had been designated as a Special
Landscape Area. It was proposed to undertake improvements to
the existing access to the adjoining class 3 county highway.
In the context of the visual amenities, it
was highlighted, despite the proposal to plant additional plants along the ‘cloddiau’ in order to thicken and strengthen
the existing boundaries, that this would not create a permanent situation and
that it would not be sufficient to satisfy the Council's policy objectives on
managing the impact of the proposal on the countryside. It was considered that
a hedge was not a permanent or substantial feature in terms of its construction
and that it could be cut or damaged accidentally. It was considered that the proposal would
have a detrimental impact on the character and countryside feel of the local
landscape and would therefore be contrary to the requirements of Policy PCYFF3,
TWR5 and PS19 in relation to its impact on the local natural environment.
Although an amended site plan was received, showing planting details, it was
not considered that it would solve problems relating to the proposal's impact
on the landscape (which was an opinion shared by the Trees Officer). Any
additional planting work would take considerable time to establish and there
was no certainty that it would take root or how successful the planting work
would screen the site.
The additional information had not
convinced the officers that the proposal to establish a touring caravan park
for 18 units was acceptable and it was recommended to refuse on the grounds
that the proposal, due to its location, setting and appearance in the
landscape, would stand out as a prominent and obtrusive feature within the
countryside, thus having a harmful impact on the landscape and visual amenities
of the rural area.
b)
It was proposed and seconded to approve the application
c)
During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by
members:
·
That the
visual impact was the main issue under consideration
·
That the site was screened by mature trees
·
That the application was one for a seasonal park - the trees and hedges
would be full at these times
·
That the allegation of the park being 'prominent' was misleading
·
That a damaged hedge or clawdd could be
restored by imposing a condition noting that maintenance work needed to be
completed
·
If there was no impact on neighbours - who then?
·
Pruning and maintaining the hedge by the entrance would improve
visibility
·
The application was acceptable
RESOLVED To
Approve
Standard conditions
including:
Five years, in accordance with the plans,
materials, landscaping, touring use only, holiday use only and maintain
register, holiday season 1 March - 31 October
Supporting documents:
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