Agenda item

Conversion of chapel into 7 residential units including an affordable unit together with a new access and parking spaces.

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elfed Williams

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To delegate powers to the Senior Planning Manager to approve the application, subject to the expiry of the consultation period and the following conditions:-

1.    Five years.

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

3.    Highway conditions.

4.    Submitting a landscaping/tree planting scheme.

5.    Biodiversity mitigation measures and enhancing biodiversity conditions.

6.    Agree on details regarding a Welsh name for the development together with advertising signage informing of and promoting the development within and outside the site.

7.    Ensure a plan/arrangement for the affordable unit. 

8.    A photographic survey of the building is required in accordance with the requirements of the Gwynedd Archaeological Planning Service.

9.    Materials in accordance with CADW's observations

 

Conversion of chapel to seven residential units to include an affordable unit together with a new access and parking spaces

 

Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

 

a)    The Development Control Officer highlighted that this was a full application to convert the redundant chapel and school-room into seven residential flats, creating a new vehicular access and providing parking spaces within the site's curtilage, that was opposite the High Street in Deiniolen. 

 

It was reported that the application had been originally submitted to the Planning Committee on 01.11.21 and the recommendation of that Committee was to defer the application in order to receive additional information regarding the following:

·           Confirmation that the cemetery would be protected.

·           More land drainage details and assurance that the culvert would not cause problems on the site or locally.

·           Confirmation of the need for flats in Deiniolen e.g. how many names were on the waiting list?

·           How the applicant would ensure that the development would be occupied by local people?

 

In response to the above concerns, the following information had been submitted by the applicant.

 

The cemetery - the applicant's agent had confirmed that the cemetery would be protected by installing a Harris type security fence during the construction work. Once the work was completed the fence would be taken down and a management plan would be provided to cut the grass and for general maintenance including cleaning the memorial stones.

 

Drainage details - plans had been submitted showing the location and setting of the culvert. Considering the location and setting of the culvert in relation to the existing construction, this current proposal would not affect the culvert in any way.  Attention was drawn to the latest observations of the Water and Environment Unit that stated that there would be no likely impact on the watercourse which ran through the site following the receipt of additional information from the applicant. 

 

The need for flats in Deiniolen - further information had been received from a qualified local estate agent company stating that there was a real need for this type of residential units in Deiniolen with 30 enquiries on average for each affordable rental unit that had been applied for affordability. It was noted that they also had 62 applicants on their list looking for property in the Deiniolen catchment area who were a mix of first-time buyers and those looking for smaller units. It was reiterated that the estate agent company had undertaken an assessment of the current condition of the local housing market in Deiniolen and the catchment area and had submitted figures that continued to confirm (following consultation with the Joint Planning Policy Unit) that rental prices and residential owners/owner occupier prices of the units were affordable according to the formula in the Supplementary Planning Guidance: Affordable Housing.

 

Occupancy of the flats for local people - the estate agents had confirmed that they would advertise the flats by using bilingual brochures and advertisements together with setting a time-scale for local people to give them the first opportunity to rent/buy the flats before they went on the open market. However, Members were reminded that only one of the flats needed to be affordable and it could be ensured that the unit was affordable initially and in perpetuity to those who could prove the need for an affordable house by including an appropriate condition.

 

It was noted that the principle of providing residential units on the site of a former chapel and school-room in Deiniolen, based on Policies PCYFF 1, TAI 3, TAI 15, PS 17 and ISA 2, continued to be acceptable.  After assessing the application, it was considered that the proposal to provide seven residential units including an affordable unit was a positive response to the need for small residential units in Deiniolen and it was not considered that the proposal was contrary to local or national policies and there was no material planning matter that outweighed these policy considerations.

 

b)    Taking advantage of the right to speak, the Local Member made the following points:          

·                  The application had been deferred in November with four reasons for refusal.

·         He hoped that the fence would sufficiently alleviate the land drainage concerns.

·         In 10 years as a Local Member, he had not received an enquiry about a flat.

·         It was important to prove the need in the Deiniolen ward only - not the catchment area.

·         If the flats became empty, who would be housed in them (given the location of the Noddfa Hostel)?

·         Was it possible to include a condition for employed individuals / young couples only?

·         Accepted the need for something instead of the Chapel.

·         Local discussions had not been held since August 2021.

·         Assurance was needed in terms of the location of the new access.

·         A petition signed by 100 individuals highlighted concerns regarding the development.

 

In response to the observations, it was noted that the figures used for the housing need had been figures for the catchment area not figures for the Deiniolen ward; that the new access would be located in the south-west of the site and had been agreed with the Transportation Unit; it was not possible to impose a condition for 'the type' of residents for the flats.

 

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

 

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

·         Assurance was needed about the number of Deiniolen residents who needed a house in Deiniolen - local figures, and not catchment area figures, were needed.

·         The application should be welcomed - the chapel was empty and suitable for first-time buyer flats.

·         The fence for the cemetery was acceptable.

·         Confirmation of the pebble dash finish was needed in accordance with CADW observations.

·         The condition of the building would deteriorate if the application would not be approved.

 

RESOLVED to delegate powers to the Senior Planning Manager to approve the application, subject to the following conditions:

 

1.         Five years.

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

3.         Highway conditions.

4.         Submitting a landscaping/tree planting scheme.

5.         Biodiversity mitigation measures and enhancing biodiversity conditions.

6.         Agreeing on details regarding a Welsh name for the development together with advertising signage informing of and promoting the development within and outside the site.

7.         Ensuring a plan/arrangement for the affordable unit. 

8.         A photographic survey of the building is required in accordance with the requirements of the Gwynedd Archaeological Planning Service.

9.         Materials in accordance with CADW's observations.