Agenda item

Demolish the old library and build three new intermediate affordable houses.

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Kim Jones

 

Link to relevant background documents

 

DECISION:

 

To approve – conditions:

1.    The development shall be commenced within five years

2.    Development to comply with the approved plans

3.    Condition to ensure that the houses remain permanently affordable

4.    Slate roof

5.    The recommendations of the Initial Ecological Assessment must be observed

6.    The recommendations of the Flooding Risk Assessment must be observed

7.    Welsh Water Condition

8.    A Welsh name must be given to the development

 

Note:  Welsh Water

           Sustainable Drainage

 

Demolition of former library and construction of three new intermediate affordable dwellings.

            Some Members had visited the site on 05-09-23

a)    The Senior Planning Officer highlighted that the application had already been discussed at a meeting of the Planning Committee held on 17 July 2023. At that time it had been resolved to defer the decision in order to conduct a site visit so that Members had an opportunity to see the site in the context of its location.

 

It was reported that it was a full application for the demolition of the former Llanberis library and the construction of three new 'intermediate' affordable dwellings in its place (two 2-bedroom semi-detached dwellings and one 3-bedroom detached dwelling). The library was closed in 2017 and the site, which was within the residential area of the Llanberis Local Service Centre as defined in the LDP, had been dormant since. The site was served by Ffordd Capel Coch, which also served Ysgol Dolbadarn. Reference was made to the footbridge over Afon Coch river towards the rear of the site, which connected with Glanrafon Estate - over the past few years flood alleviation work had been completed on the river banks as a result of significant flooding in 2012.

 

The development had been introduced by Cyngor Gwynedd as part of the 'Tŷ Gwynedd' scheme.  The houses would be offered to buy or rent for an affordable price to local people.

 

Attention was drawn to the number of objections to the plan because parking issues already existed on Ffordd Capel Coch which caused ill-feeling amongst residents, and there was concern that the construction of three dwellings at this location would exacerbate the situation.  In addition, there were concerns regarding the hazard to street users, including children who attended the nearby school, due to the increase in traffic.

 

Despite the concerns, the Transportation Unit had no objection to the proposal in principle although they had noted that they would not support the creation of on-street parking spaces. The officer stated that there was a private parking space for each new property in the plans and that space would remain for three cars to park on the road in front of the development. It was added that until recently, the site had been a public library that attracted traffic itself.  Consequently, it was not considered that the development itself would exacerbate the on-street parking situation compared to what could be the case under the site's current lawful planning use.  Similarly, it was not considered that the traffic caused by three dwellings would cause a greater risk to street users than the former library.

 

In the context of flooding concerns, a Flood Consequence Assessment (FCA) had been submitted with the application in response to initial observations from Natural Resources Wales (NRW). It was noted that the findings of the Flood Consequence Assessment and the modelling process that was followed confirmed that the development would comply with the requirements of the current TAN 15, specifically the criteria set by Appendix 1 of the TAN. In addition, the FCA proposed a series of alleviation measures to improve the resilience of the development to flooding.

As a result, the proposal was considered acceptable based on the ability to manage flood risk to the occupiers of the proposed dwellings, and that it would not cause added risk in other places. It was therefore considered that the application complied with the requirements of Policies PS 5 and PS 6 and the content of the current TAN 15: Development and Flood Risk (2004).

 

In the context of the specialist information submitted regarding the flood risk, it was accepted that this development would not exacerbate the situation in terms of material planning matters compared with what could occur under the site's present lawful planning use.  Indeed, it was considered that the proposal might offer an opportunity to improve the site's resilience to flood risk and introduce improvements in terms of matters such as visual amenities and biodiversity.  It was noted that the proposal offered the opportunity to create affordable housing for local people on a brownfield site within the development boundary; it was an acceptable plan in principle, and it complied with relevant local and national planning policies.

 

b)    It was proposed and seconded to approve the application

 

ch) During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by Members:

·         The site visit had been beneficial

·         Previous use of the building as a library had created more traffic problems

·         Welcomed affordable housing

 

·         The design of the proposal did not reflect the area's industrial connection - why would Cyngor Gwynedd not select a more traditional design that would be in-keeping with the terraced houses?

 

            RESOLVED to approve with conditions:

 

            1.         The development shall be commenced within five years

            2.         Development to comply with the approved plans

3.         Condition to ensure that the houses remain permanently       affordable

            4.         Slate roof

                         5.         The recommendations of the Initial Ecological Assessment must be observed

6.         The recommendations of the Flooding Risk Assessment must be observed

            7.         Welsh Water Condition

            8.         A Welsh name must be given to the development

 

            Note:  Welsh Water

           Sustainable Drainage