Agenda item

Erection of 23 dwellings, creation of a new access from Caernarfon Road, an internal estate road, surface water attenuation pond and associated works

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Eirwyn Williams

 

Link to relevant background documents

Approve subject to a 106 agreement binding 7 of the houses as affordable houses and make a financial contribution towards play areas and to conditions:

 

1.           5 years

2.           In accordance with the documents/plans submitted with the application.

3.           Natural slate.

4.           Samples of materials and colours for the houses to be agreed with the LPA.

5.           Highway conditions - visibility splays, completion of an estate road, completion of parking spaces

6.           Landscaping to be completed in accordance with the details submitted.

7.           Removal of permitted development rights for classes A-E for the affordable housing.

8.           Condition to secure Welsh signs and names for the houses.

9.           Maintenance strip to be ensured near Afon Cwrt.

10.        Compliance with the ecological report.

11.        In accordance with the trees assessment.

12.        Archaeological condition.

13.        Work hours/construction period.

14.        Submission and agreement of a construction method statement.

15.        Obscured glass in the first-floor window on the south-eastern gable-end of plot 3.

 

Welsh Water/Natural Resources Wales Notes, SuDS, Major Development

 

Construction of 23 dwellings, creation of new access road from Caernarfon Road, internal estate road, surface water attenuation pond and associated work

 

a)    The Planning Manager highlighted that this was an application for 16 open market dwelling houses and seven affordable homes. The houses on the site would be a mix of two-storey and three-storey houses and they would be of various types: -

 

Types A and B - four-bedroom houses with a garage

Type C - three-bedroom houses with a garage - the houses vary in terms of their interior plans and exterior aspects.

Type D - two-storey, 2 and 3 bedroom houses with (and without) a nearby garage

Types E and F - 7 affordable units providing a mix of two and three bedroom houses.

 

It was noted that the site was partly located within and outside the development boundary and the land where it was intended to locate the houses was located within the development boundary of Cricieth, with the landscaping zone area and surface water attenuation pond located outside the boundary. It was reiterated that part of the site within the development boundary had been designated specifically for housing in the Local Development Plan (LDP) - site T41. The principle of developing the residential units  had been considered against the requirements of Policy TAI 2 of the LDP . It was stated that the site had been identified as a site for 34 units, but the application sought to build 23 houses on the site (which was lower than the estimated units for the site in Policy TAI 2). 

 

It was highlighted that the Planning, Design and Access Statement submitted with the application noted that site T41 had been the subject of a detailed assessment of restrictions, which included the need to retain a seven metre clearing on either side of the watercourse of Afon Cwrt, which ran across the site. In addition, it was noted that a part of the site could not be developed due to the presence of a culvert that ran along and parallel to the rear gardens of North Terrace houses. There was also a need to obtain clearing space on either side of the surface water drain from Afon Cwrt to the proposed attenuation pond between Bryn Cleddau and Plot 3.

 

According to Policy ISA 5, new housing proposals for 10 or more dwellings, in areas where existing open space cannot meet the needs of the proposed housing development, should provide suitable provision of open spaces in accordance with the Fields in Trust (FiT) benchmark standards. It was explained that the current information received from the Joint Planning Policy Unit showed that there was a lack of play areas with equipment for children locally and as part of the proposal and to this end, therefore, a financial contribution would need to be made in order to meet this lack of provision. Confirmation was received from the applicant stating that he would be willing to make a contribution of £4848.66 and this could be ensured via a legal 106 agreement.

 

In the context of transport and access matters, it was noted that the proposal would involve the creation of a housing estate on an agricultural field and access could currently be gained to the field from a track that ran past the northern end of North Terrace. As part of the application, a new access would be created directly to the B4411. It was reported that the Transportation Unit had submitted observations stating that additional information received in relation to the application, along with a full assessment on the visibility splay of the junction with the B4411, satisfied the requirements of TAN 18. It was reiterated that minor changes had been made to the plan to improve the provision for pedestrians and the Transportation Unit did not have any further observations to make. 

 

It was reported that general and residential amenity matters, biodiversity, land drainage, heritage and archaeological matters were acceptable and, as a result of the full assessment, it was considered that the proposal was acceptable to be approved subject to appropriate conditions and to a 106 agreement to bind seven of the houses as affordable and make a financial contribution towards play areas.

 

b)    Taking advantage of the right to speak, the agent noted the following observations:

·         An application from a local housing developer (Rhys Efans Cyf Company) to construct 23 houses with seven affordable homes, on a site specifically designated in the LDP for housing construction.

·         Recommendation to approve from Officers following a discussion, consultation and thorough assessment before and during the period of the application.

·         There was some objection to the development from local residents - many highlighted a concern about the housing designation. However, the development would not have a detrimental effect on the area or local residents.

·         The designation was for the provision of 34 houses, but the application sought to build 23 houses - this reflected restrictions on the site and left land near Caernarfon Road as a significant open space between neighbouring houses and the new development.

·         Some residents had concerns about the access to Caernarfon Road, but the access had been assessed many times (including an application for 18 houses that had been approved by the Planning Committee in 2005 for the same access). When considering the housing designation when preparing the LDP and as part of this application, it was considered that the site plan clearly showed that access could only be created from Caernarfon Road.

·         In terms of marketing the houses, it was noted that the local builder would adopt the same strategy used for his recent development at Gerddi Madryn, Chwilog where 15 houses had been sold to local Welsh-speakers.

·         The developer had already received a number of enquiries about the houses from people from the Cricieth and Porthmadog area, without any marketing. It was anticipated that at least 18, or 80%, of the houses would be sold to people from the local area.

·         There was no objection to the development by the Town Council or any other consultee, including the Transportation Department that had thoroughly examined the impact of the development on transport and pedestrians who used Caernarfon Road.

 

c)    Taking advantage of the right to speak, the local member made the following points:    

·      That the proposal divided opinion locally.

·      Suggested that the Committee visited the site.

 

d)  A site visit was proposed and seconded due to the impact on the area and on neighbours.

 

In response to the proposal, the Head of Legal Services noted that the site had been designated for housing: that the density was lower than what had been designated in T41 and that the transport and water elements had been addressed. With the principle established as a result of its designation, he highlighted that the Committee would have to consider matters that could be influenced or added to.

 

e)  A vote was taken on the proposal to carry out a site visit - the proposal fell.

 

f)    It was proposed and seconded to approve the application.

 

g)    During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by members:

·         The plan responded to local demand.

·         An ideal scheme.

 

        In response to an observation regarding the road within the estate ending on the boundary and the suggestion that housing could be constructed beyond the boundary in future, it was noted that this area was outside the development boundary, but an agricultural access needed to be created along with access to the draining ponds. It did not suggest a further development for the future.

 

RESOLVED: Approve subject to a 106 agreement binding seven of the houses as affordable houses and making a financial contribution towards play areas and to conditions:

 

1.       Five years

2.       In accordance with the documents/plans submitted with the application.

3.       Natural slate.

4.       Samples of materials and colours for the houses to be agreed with the LPA.

5.       Highway conditions - visibility splays, completion of an estate road, completion of parking spaces.

6.       Landscaping to be completed in accordance with the details submitted.

7.       Removal of permitted development rights for classes A-E for the affordable housing.

8.       Condition to secure Welsh signs and names for the houses.

9.       Maintenance strip to be secured near Afon Cwrt.

10.     Compliance with the ecological report.

11.     In accordance with the trees assessment.

12.     Archaeological condition.

13.     Work hours of construction period.

14.     Submission and agreement of a construction method statement.

15.     Obscured glass in the first-floor window on the south-eastern gable-end of plot 3.

 

Welsh Water/Natural Resources Wales Notes, SuDS, Major Development