Agenda item

Proposed development for the change the use of an existing property to form 13no. self-contained residential flats (C3 use) along the lower ground floor, ground floor, first, second and third floor. The proposal also seek to retain an element of commercial floor area on the ground floor to be put forward for (A1) retail purposes.

 

LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillors Dylan Fernley and Nigel Pickavance

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To approve the application subject to the following conditions:

 

1.     Time five years

2.     In accordance with the plans

3.     Restrict the use to C3 use class residential dwellings only

4.     Restrict the construction hours

5.     Sound insulation measures must be imposed and agreed.

6.     The objectives of the Green Infrastructure Statement must be implemented

7.     Affordable housing condition

 

Notes:

Welsh Water Note

 

Proposed development for the change of use of an existing property to form 13 self-contained residential flats (C3 use) along the lower ground floor, ground floor, first floor, second and third floors. The proposal also sought to retain an element of commercial floor area on the ground floor for retail purposes (A1). 

 

The Senior Planning Officer highlighted that this was a full application to change the use of the existing building into 13 residential flats with the plan to retain an element of floor area for retail use on the ground floor. The flats would be located over the 5 floors with access to the flats through stairs at the rear of the building and access to the retail area from the high street. The development would include a refuse storage and bicycle storage on the ground floor. The self-contained flats would be a C3 use and the retail area would be an A1 use and the front of the shop would remain the same. The work would not involve any external work. 

 

The building was located in the middle of Bangor High Street, within the development boundary of the Sub-regional Centre as defined in the LDP. It was located within a Conservation Area and within the Defined Town Centre and Main Shopping Area. 

 

Reference was made to the indicative supply level of housing for Bangor over the period of the LDP, noting that the provision was already being met through the sites in the land bank. In such circumstances, consideration would be given to the units that had been completed thus far within the Main Centres tier. It was considered that by adding 13 residential units to the housing stock, the development which was subject to this application would help to contribute towards the housing targets of the LDP in a way that responded positively to the requirements of the local housing market.⁠ It was elaborated that the size and type of dwellings proposed was an appropriate mix of housing provision and complied with Policy TAI 8. 

 

The application was being submitted to the Committee as it was a development for five or more dwellings. 

 

It was considered that the proposed use was acceptable and met the policy requirements. The officers recommended to approve the application with conditions. 

 

Taking advantage of the right to speak, the Agent made the following observations: 

·        The application involved the conversion of an empty building on Bangor High Street to form 13 flats and a retail area 

·        The building, which was a former bank, had been empty since April 2023 and had not been used since then

·         The proposal offered a suitable use of the building which would meet the housing requirements locally and the viability of the High Street 

·        Marketing research from estate agents had highlighted that there was a specific demand for rental flats with 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms.

·         Although student accommodation houses were available in Bangor, there was a lack of dwellings for professional individuals, couples and small families, with some moving from the city to rent in Ynys Môn, Bethesda and Caernarfon 

·        The size of the flats would be affordable – they would not be out of reach of local people 

·        The retail unit, despite being small, was available for an affordable rent. This encouraged local businesses to move to the High Street and have a positive economic impact on the area The proposal would offer a quantitative impact on the Welsh language – Cyngor Gwynedd's Language Unit had sufficient evidence to support this 

·        The site was located in Bangor City centre, with good access to public transport – the location was sustainable and would promote the use of travelling without a car 

·        The proposal fulfilled the local housing requirements and led to economic benefits in terms of employment and retail use on the High Street 

·        The proposal was bringing a building that had been empty for two years back into bespoke use. 

 

It was proposed and seconded to approve the application 

 

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

·        They welcomed the application

·         Although there were many applications for flats in Bangor presented without the affordable element (offering the excuse that they would be affordable anyway), it was good to see that some of these dwellings had been conditioned to be affordable 

·        There was a need for high-quality new dwellings in Bangor – e.g., nurses wished to live in places that were convenient for work 

·        The numbers attending Bangor University were decreasing, there were fewer people coming from abroad to the city since the lockdown and less demand for multi-occupancy houses. It was stated that Bangor's population would decrease by 4% by 2043 – therefore, who would these houses accommodate? The city was filled with multi-occupancy houses – there was a need for houses for families. 

 

 

In response to a question regarding parking provision and the tenants’ amenity principles, it was noted, in the context of amenity matters such as parking provision, that this was met outside the site by existing public parking spaces and green lands, which was standard for a city centre development. It was elaborated that the proposal met the need for housing and brought an empty building back into use which contributed to the regeneration of the High Street. It was also noted that the application was not for multi-occupancy houses – this was an application for self-contained flats, and the Housing Strategic Unit and research from estate agents had acknowledged the need. 

 

RESOLVED: To approve the application subject to conditions. 

 

1.              Time five years 

2.              In accordance with the plans  

3.              Restrict the use to C3 use class residential dwellings only 

4.              Restrict the construction hours 

5.              Sound insulation measures must be imposed and agreed. 

6.              The objectives of the Green Infrastructure Statement must be implemented 

7.              Affordable housing condition 

 

Notes: 

Welsh Water Note