Agenda item

Increase in the number of caravans to a total of 15 touring units, construction of a toilet/ shower block, landscaping, and associated works. 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor John Brynmor Hughes

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To refuse in accordance with the recommendation

 

Reasons:

 

·       It is not considered that the proposed units easily assimilate to the landscape and therefore it is not considered as an unobtrusive location that is well-concealed by the existing features of the landscape, so  the development would be detrimental to the visual quality of the landscape. The proposal would not add to the maintenance, enhancement or restoration of the recognised character of the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is also concern about creating a new caravan site a considerable distance from the main roads network along a busy rural road where there is a high density of holiday sites and the impact of the associated development work on the features and character of the landscape. Therefore, it is considered that the proposal is contrary to the relevant requirements of Policies TWR 5 and AMG 1 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan and Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG): Tourist Facilities and Accommodation.

 

·       Insufficient evidence has been presented as part of the planning application to demonstrate that full consideration has been given to the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land. It is therefore considered to be contrary to the requirements of criteria 6 of Policy PS 6 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan 2011-2026 and the advice provided in paragraphs 3.58 and 3.59 of Planning Policy Wales.

 

DECISION: To refuse in accordance with the recommendation

 

Reasons:

 

·        It is not considered that the proposed units easily assimilate to the landscape and therefore it is not considered as an unobtrusive location that is well-concealed by the existing features of the landscape, so  the development would be detrimental to the visual quality of the landscape. The proposal would not add to the maintenance, enhancement or restoration of the recognised character of the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is also concern about creating a new caravan site a considerable distance from the main roads network along a busy rural road where there is a high density of holiday sites and the impact of the associated development work on the features and character of the landscape. Therefore, it is considered that the proposal is contrary to the relevant requirements of Policies TWR 5 and AMG 1 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan and Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG): Tourist Facilities and Accommodation.

 

·        Insufficient evidence has been presented as part of the planning application to demonstrate that full consideration has been given to the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land. It is therefore considered to be contrary to the requirements of criteria 6 of Policy PS 6 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan 2011-2026 and the advice provided in paragraphs 3.58 and 3.59 of Planning Policy Wales.

Increase the number of caravans to a total of 15 touring units, construction of toilet/shower block, landscaping and associated works.

 

Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

 

a)       The Planning Trainee highlighted that this was a full application for extending an existing caravan site into an adjacent agricultural field, as well as the construction of a new toilet and shower block, landscaping and associated works. It was noted that the site was located outside the development boundary and was therefore considered a site in open countryside.

 

Attention was drawn to the fact that the property was within the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and within the Llŷn and Enlli Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest, with the site served by a single lane, unclassified rural road. It was elaborated that the land in question had been graded as class 2 land, namely good quality agricultural land. Reference was made to paragraph 3.58 of Planning Policy Wales (PPW) which noted that "agricultural land of grade 3a, as well as grades 1 and 2, in the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC)16 is deemed as the best and most versatile and should be conserved as a finite resource for the future."

 

Having researched the planning history of the site, it seemed that no Planning permission existed for caravans on the site and although there was a 'Caravan and Motorhome Club' certified sign displayed there, following enquiries with the exempt Club, confirmation was received that there was no longer a certificate for the site. Consequently, this was not an application to extend an existing site, but an application for a new touring caravan site (15 caravans).

 

The application had been submitted to the Committee as it was a development on a site of 0.5 hectare or greater in size.

 

Consideration was given to policies TWR 5, AMG1 and PS6 of the LDP.

 

It was reported that although the application stated that trees and extensive hedgerows concealed the site from every vista, from inspecting the site, the quality of landscaping on the site’s cloddiau boundaries was weak overall. It was elaborated that the site was separated from the county road by only a field’s width, with relatively bare cloddiau on the eastern boundaries, which would make the site prominent from the public road running past the property and from a public footpath that was one field to the west of the site. Although the site was fairly level, the views would be limited but would be prominent from the adjacent road and from higher lands in Bwlchtocyn and some areas along the area's public footpaths. It was acknowledged that they intended to reinforce the screening of the site by improving and adding landscaping to the existing cloddiau, but given the site's high and open location, there was no certainty that the landscaping would establish itself and it was emphasised that it would take many years to sufficiently screen the site, if at all. It was noted that reliance on landscaping to form a sufficient screen contained an element of risk, with doubt that adequate screening could be secured in the short term.

 

Reference was made to policy AMG 1 which noted that there was a need for proposals within or affectin the setting/views into or out of the AONB to consider the AONB Management Plan. Attention was drawn to observations from the AONB unit which noted that "...there was a significant number of touring caravans in the Sarn Bach/Bwlchtocyn area which put pressure on the AONB environment and local services." Therefore, it was not considered that the touring caravan units would easily assimilate with the landscape, and it was not considered an unobtrusive location that was well-concealed by the existing features of the landscape, therefore the development would be detrimental to the visual quality of the landscape. The proposal would not add to the preservation, enhancement or restoration of the recognised character of the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

 

Concern was noted about creating a new caravan site a considerable distance from the main roads network along a busy rural road where there was a high density of holiday sites, and the impact of the associated development work on the features and character of the landscape. It was considered that the proposal was contrary to the relevant requirements of Policies TWR 5 and AMG 1 of the LDP and the Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG): Tourist Facilities and Accommodation. Insufficient evidence had been presented as part of the planning application to highlight that full consideration had been given to the impact of the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land. It was considered that the application was contrary to the requirements of criterion 6 of Policy PS 6 of the LDP, as well as the advice provided in paragraphs 3.58 and 3.59 of Planning Policy Wales.

 

         The officers recommended that the application be refused

 

c)      It was proposed and seconded to refuse the application

 

ch)    During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by the Member;

·        The site operated through a club licence for 5 plots, but now had 7 plots – 2 plots were there without agreement

·        The application intended to increase from 7 plots to a total of 15 plots – no planning permission existed for the caravans, this would be an application for a new touring caravan site

 

RESOLVED: To refuse the application in accordance with the recommendation.

 

Reasons:

 

·        It is not considered that the proposed units would easily assimilate to the landscape and therefore it is not considered an unobtrusive location that is well-concealed by the existing features of the landscape, so the development would be detrimental to the visual quality of the landscape. The proposal would not add to the preservation, enhancement or restoration of the recognised character of the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is also concern about creating a new caravan site a considerable distance from the main roads network along a busy rural road where there is a high density of holiday sites, and the impact of the associated development work on the features and character of the landscape. Therefore, the proposal is considered to be contrary to the relevant requirements of Policies TWR 5 and AMG 1 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan and the Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG): Tourist Facilities and Accommodation.

 

·        Insufficient evidence has been presented as part of the planning application to demonstrate that full account has been given to the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land. It is therefore considered to be contrary to the requirements of criteria 6 of Policy PS 6 of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan 2011-2026 and advice provided in paragraphs 3.58 and 3.59 of Planning Policy Wales.