Agenda item

Construct a new dwelling along with new parking area

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Dafydd Davies

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To defer in order to conduct a site visit

Construction of new house and parking spaces

Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

a)      The Development Control Officer highlighted that this was a full application to erect a two-storey house on a plot of land near Pen Lôn, in front of dwellings known as Y Ficerdy and Clynnog House, with Tŷ Isaf and Court Cottages residential dwellings to the rear of the site, within the Clynnog Fawr residential area and development boundary. Here there was also a rear access to Beuno Sant Church, which is also being used by the five existing nearby dwellings. It was noted that the site was located immediately adjacent to Listed Buildings, located within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and within a Conservation Area.

The application was submitted to the Planning Committee at the request of the local member.

A previous application was submitted to the Planning Committee in September 2021, where it was resolved to defer the application in order to discuss the way forward, and submit amended plans. The application was withdrawn and the existing application was submitted, with the only changes to include two dormer windows in the roof on the western elevation.

Having considered all the relevant matters, including local and national policies and guidance and the observations received, it was highlighted that it cannot be recommended to approve the application due to the failure to satisfy the requirements of the LDP's TAI policies, relating to the suitability of the development to comply with the character of the settlement in terms of its size and scale and that there was a need to protect the open plot from over-development in order to safeguard the appearance and character of the local conservation area.   

b)        Taking advantage of the right to speak, an objector to the application made the following observations:

·         That there were many problems with the plan

·         That the application was an over-development in a conservation area.

·         That the applicant continued to submit plans

·         Listed buildings of outstanding beauty need to be protected

·         That the access road was a single road - the Transportation Unit needed to verify this

·         That there were 5 properties, Welsh Water access and a Church ‘on site’

·         That no reference has been made to the culvert

·         There would only be a void of 1m between the proposal and the existing property

·         Over-looking and neighbours' dwellings

·         That the applicant did not live locally

c)       Taking advantage of the right to speak, the applicant noted the following observations:

·         The applicant had been born and bred at 25 Llwyn y De, Clynnog Fawr, and when he was seven years old, the family moved to Aberdesach. In 1999, he bought the Penlôn property in Clynnog Fawr, namely a small, traditional cottage with a separate property a stone's throw from the property. After five years, and due to personal circumstances, Penlôn was sold in 2004 but a decision was made to retain the garden with the intention and hope of being re-housed in the village in the future and build a new house on a site that was already in their ownership

·         The site was located within the development boundary of the village, and within a conservation area - Clynnog Fawr itself was located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

·         The total surface area of the site was around 175m² with the intention of building a simple and concise, two-storey property, with as little garden as possible.  The total floor surface area of the property would be 55m², leaving 120m² for parking, a garden and a curtilage around the property

·         That planning policies were a guide and had been prepared carefully for interpretation - of course, any individual can interpret them differently; however, the basic principle of the proposal still stood

·         The main concern of the planning officer in this case was that the proposal, in his opinion, due to its size and setting, was contrary to the relevant policies. Whether the proposal adds to and enhances the character and appearance of the site was a matter of opinion, as well as whether the proposal safeguards or improves the setting and appearance of the conservation area

ch)       It was proposed and seconded to approve the application contrary to the recommendation - the design was in-keeping - no objection had been received from the Transportation Unit or AONB

d)            In response to the proposal, the Assistant Head of Planning and Environment highlighted that the location needed to be considered as a sensitive location, which was under conservation management with listed buildings located around it. He reiterated that the design of the proposal was not one that would generally be seen in a housing estate and that it did not respect the sensitive design of this area.

e)            A proposal to carry out a site visit was proposed and seconded.

RESOLVED: To defer in order to conduct a site visit