Application for the erection of a garage.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Eric M. Jones
Link
to relevant background documents
Minutes:
(a)
The Development Control Manager elaborated on the background of the
application and noted that the application was to erect a new single garage on
a section of land outside the property's specific curtilage, in the far end of
an estate road. It was noted that a concrete foundation already existed on the
site which provided a parking space, with the foundation extending outside the
application site and providing approximately two additional parking spaces for
other houses.
It
was reported that a number of objections had been received to the proposal
regarding the location of the garage in terms of land ownership, land ownership
dispute, access to maintain a section of property and use by the public of a
path running past the side of the garage.
It
was noted that the proposal extended the existing concrete foundation to the
side (towards property number 23) and to the back with the plans submitted
indicating that the land was in the applicant's ownership. It was explained
that ownership issues were civil matters rather than planning matters,
therefore a land ownership dispute was not a reason to refuse planning permission.
It
was noted that extending the foundation would impair upon the path that runs
between the proposed garage and property number 23 Y Grugan. It appeared that the path was in the
applicant's ownership, the application's agent had received written
confirmation from the Footpaths Unit stating that this was not a public
footpath and was not in the ownership of Gwynedd Council and had not been
adopted or maintained by the Council. It
was noted that the proposed garage would be erected totally on land located
within the applicant's ownership, and it was not considered to be an
over-development of the site and did not have a detrimental impact on the
privacy or amenities of any nearby person.
It
was confirmed that the objections received did not outweigh relevant policy
considerations or material planning issues. The development complied with the
GUDP for the reasons noted in the report.
(b) Taking
advantage of the right to speak, an objector noted the following main points:-
·
That he represented the
residents of Grugan;
·
That the proposed garage
would prevent him from parking in his current parking space;
·
The Committee should
consider conducting a site visit;
·
Impact on the path that
was used by a disabled person living in number 37;
·
That the garage would create an area for persons to
participate in anti-social and illegal activities.
(c) The local member (a member of
this Planning Committee) made the following main points:-
·
That the application
had split the society;
·
That the concrete
foundation provided a parking area not a space for a garage;
·
That there
had been a verbal agreement between the occupiers of number 36 and the former owner of number 35 regarding parking arrangements.
·
That there
were parking spaces for numbers
35, 36 and 37 and if the application was approved then a garage larger than the existing concrete foundation would impair on the central
space and on the path and
the property of number
23;
·
That there
was an ownership dispute and contrary
statements given in the Council's response in the context of ownership and maintenance;
·
Approving the application
would create a precedent;
·
That the proposal
was contrary to policies
B22 and B23 of the GUDP;
·
The Committee
was requested to undertake
a site visit.
(ch) Proposed and seconded to undertake a site inspection visit.
During the ensuing discussion the
following main comments were noted:
·
That a site visit should be undertaken as the
situation was not reflected in the plans;
·
That these were civil issues in question and
undertaking a site visit would not make the situation any clearer;
·
That the proposed garage was unsuitable for the
site.
In response to a question
by a member regarding receiving confirmation of ownership, the Development Control Manager noted that the applicant had confirmed on the application form that the application
site was in his ownership and documentation
had also been received from the Land Registry.
RESOLVED to undertake a site visit.
Supporting documents: