Agenda item

Substantial demolition of the existing Electric Mountain Visitor Centre (bar the existing electricity sub-station), re-instatement of site as an area of grassland,  replacement lighting and the provision of electric vehicle charging points at the existing car park and associated landscaping. 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Kim Jones

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION:

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 amended details submitted with the application.

3.    Compliance with the recommendations within the amended Ecological Report and Arboriculture Statement documents.

4.    Compliance with the recommendations of the amended Flood Consequence Assessment.

5.    A condition that none of the land will be raised higher than the current ground levels.

6.    Submit a Demolition Method Statement to be agreed in writing by the LPA to include matters such as noise levels, working hours and relevant mitigating measures.

7.    Safeguard Welsh Water assets by submitting a Risk Assessment Method Statement to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority

8.    The applicant needs to undertake a photographic survey of the existing construction.

9.    Need to undertake a desktop investigation to assess the potential pollution risk on the site.

Note: It will be required to receive a European Protected Species Licence (EPS Licence) for this development.

Demolish vast parts of the Electric Mountain Visitor Centre (bar the existing electricity sub-station), change of use of the site to an area of grassland, replacement lighting, provision of electric vehicle charging points to the existing car park and associated landscaping.

Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

a)    The Planning Manager highlighted that this application had been deferred at the June, 2022 Planning Committee to enable the applicant to discuss the site's future and its potential alternative uses with the Local Member as well as the community. 

Following lengthy discussions, the applicant no longer wished to proceed with the original scheme of creating a new car park, rather they wished to change the use of the site to an area of grassland; to create a drive from the existing car park to service the electricity sub-station; installation of lighting and providing vehicle charging points within the existing car park along with associated landscaping.

The area of grassland would be used for occasional community use and events together with the installation of temporary structures.

In order to support the application, the following documents were submitted - Design and Access Statement; Drainage Strategy; Flood Risk Assessment; External Lighting Planning Statement; Ecological Report and an Arboriculture Statement. It is noted here that the Transportation Statement has not been amended as there are no road safety implications from the amended plan.

It was reported that the proposal was acceptable in line with the second part of Policy ISA 2 of the LDP (with the policy supported by Supplementary Planning Guidance: Change of use of Community Facilities and Services, Employment Sites and Retail Units, 2021) that states that the Council would resist the loss or change of use of existing community facilities by complying with at least one of the following relevant criteria. There were no objections to matters relating to visibility, biodiversity or flooding and full consideration had been given to the observations received in response to the two consultation periods and to the response received from statutory consultees. 

It was not considered that the amended proposal was contrary to local or national policies - and was acceptable subject to including suitable conditions.

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

·         She had no objections to the proposal

·         Welcomed the change to the grassland - possible to hold community events

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

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 amended details submitted with the application.

3.         Compliance with the recommendations within the amended Ecological Report and Arboriculture Statement documents.

4.         Compliance with the recommendations of the amended Flood Consequence Assessment.

5.         A condition that none of the land will be raised higher than the current ground levels.

6.         Submit a Demolition Method Statement to be agreed in writing by the LPA to include matters such as noise levels, working hours and relevant mitigating measures.

7.         Safeguard Welsh Water assets by submitting a Risk Assessment Method Statement to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

8.         The applicant needs to undertake a photographic survey of the existing construction.

9.         Need to undertake a desktop investigation to assess the potential pollution risk on the site.

Note: It will be required to receive a European Protected Species Licence (EPS Licence) for this development.