Erection of a building to be used as a builders' merchant (sui
generis use) and associated yard structures, loading areas, car parking,
landscaping proposals together with associated works.
LOCAL
MEMBER: Councillor Dafydd Meurig
Link
to relevant background documents
Decision:
To approve the
application subject to material planning conditions involving:
1.
Time
2.
Compliance with the plans
3. The development shall be
implemented in accordance with the ecological report
4.
Landscaping conditions
5.
Opening hours
6.
Ensure Welsh / Bilingual signs
Notes
1. Welsh Water
2. Land Drainage Unit
Minutes:
Construction of a building to be used as a
builders’ merchant (sui generis use) and associated yard structures, loading
areas, car park, landscaping proposals together with associated work.
Attention was
drawn to the late observations form.
a) The Planning Manager highlighted that this was a full
application to construct a building to be used by a builders' merchant (sui
generis use) on the Bryn Cegin Strategic Regional
Business Site which was approximately 1km to the south of the development
boundary of the Bangor Sub-regional Centre, as defined by the Anglesey and
Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan (LDP).
The building's ground floor would include a retail area, trade counter, office,
toilets, staff room/canteen and warehouse with a covered entrance to provide
customer access.
The application was submitted to committee as it is defined as a major
development due to its floor surface area.
It was reported that the 'builders' merchant' use was a unique use which
did not fall under any specific class use and therefore the application was not
entirely in line with policy CYF1. Policy CYF 5 was considered, which permitted
land safeguarded for B1, B2 and B8 uses in special cases to be released for
alternative uses. Although a builders' merchant was a unique use, it was also
an appropriate use that could be expected on a business/industrial estate. It was noted that the site was vacant with plenty
of opportunities for other B1, B2 and B8 businesses to develop on the site.
Due to the importance of the scheme in securing the development of an
initial business on a strategically important site that had been empty for many
years, it was considered that there was exceptional justification to grant the
proposed development on the designated employment site in accordance with
Policies PS13, CYF 1 and CYF 5 of the LDP.
In the context of general and residential amenities, the concerns of the
Public Protection Service regarding noise disturbance that may arise from the
site causing a nuisance for local residents were acknowledged. In response, a
further explanation was provided by the applicant regarding the nature of the
site's use. It was reiterated, that it had to be recognised that this was a
designated industrial site and the site could be used for a much more intensive
and noisy industrial use. By adhering to the opening hours and in considering
the background noise and busy nature of the nearby roads and the proximity of
the existing Llandygai industrial estate, it was not
believed that this business was likely to create an additional significant
detrimental impact. (It was noted there
were regulations outside the planning field to manage noise that caused a
consistent nuisance to local residents.)
In terms of transportation matters, and in light of receiving an amended
site plan, the Transportation Unit did not have any objection to the plan and
the development would use the road network designed for the industrial estate
to accommodate transportation levels.
In terms of linguistic matters, it was considered, as the development
offered an opportunity to retain existing jobs and create new suitable jobs for
local people, offering them an opportunity to stay in their community, that the
development could be positive for the situation of the Welsh language locally
and the application was therefore consistent with the aims of policy PS 1.
It was not considered that the proposal was contrary to any material
planning policy within the LDP and the proposed development was appropriate for
the site and was likely to be of strategic importance to the county as a
starting point for business developments on the site. It was not considered
that the proposal was likely to cause any unacceptable detrimental impact to
nearby residents or the community in general.
b) Taking advantage of the right to speak, the
applicant’s agent noted the following observations:
·
That the
application to develop a plot on the Parc Bryn Cegin
site in Bangor by constructing a building to be used as a builders' merchant
was made by the local company, Huws Gray.
·
That the
company had expanded over recent years and was now one of the largest
independent builders' merchants in Britain with their headquarters in
Llangefni.
·
They had an
existing site in Bangor, on the Llandygai Industrial
Estate but the proposal would see Huws Gray relocate
to Parc Bryn Cegin - the current site did not allow
space to enable expansion.
·
The unit
would provide additional surface area; an additional 3 full-time jobs would be
created in addition to the existing staff (17 of them) moving to the new site.
·
That the
staff employed in Bangor by Huws Gray were all local
people and most of them spoke Welsh. It was expected that the additional jobs
that would be created would be filled by local people, including
Welsh-speakers. Needed to ensure that the required skills were available
locally.
·
That the
application site, and the vast part of Parc Bryn Cegin,
had been empty for some time despite outline permission being granted in 2005
to develop the Park; that this highlighted there had been no substantial demand
for B1, B2 and B8 class use over the years, and unless some type of development
took place on the site to encourage the Park's development, it was possible
that its fate would be to lie empty for years to come.
·
The
officer's assessment confirmed that the proposal could be supported in
principle under policy CYF 5.
c) It was proposed and seconded to approve the application
in accordance with the recommendation.
d)
During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by
Members:
·
Welcomed
the proposal to relocate
·
Supported
business that brought jobs to the area
RESOLVED: To approve the
application subject to material planning conditions involving:
1. Time
2. Compliance with the
plans
3.
The development shall be implemented in accordance with the ecological report
4. Landscaping
conditions
5. Opening hours
6. Ensure Welsh /
Bilingual signs
Notes
1. Welsh Water
2. Land Drainage Unit
Supporting documents: