Agenda item

Full application for the Erection of 8. No. Affordable Dwellings (exception site) and Associated Development to include creation of vehicular access, estate road, landscaping and sustainable surface water drainage area

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Gareth Williams

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To approve with conditions 

 

1.         Time

2.         In accordance with the plans

3.         Materials

4.         Affordable housing condition

5.         Highway conditions

6.         Biodiversity conditions/protection of the clawdd

7.         Landscaping condition

8.         Welsh Water Condition

9.         Removal of permitted development rights involving extensions and use

10.       Drainage matters

11.       Building Control Plan

12.       Method statement for the relocation of the 'clawdd'.

 

Full application for the erection of eight affordable dwellings (exception site) and associated developments to include the creation of a vehicular access, estate road, landscaping and a sustainable surface water drainage area. 

 

         Attention was drawn to the late observations form.

 

         Some Members had visited the site on 03-12-25

 

a)           The Planning Manager highlighted that the application had been deferred at the November 2025 Planning Committee to arrange a site visit to assess the impact of the proposal on the amenities of nearby residents. It was noted that amended plans had been submitted which replaced the locations of two semi-detached bungalows with 3 and 4-bedroom semi-detached houses.

 

It was reported that the proposed development site was currently open agricultural land with boundaries surrounding it, mainly natural hedges, with residential dwellings adjacent to the site, with elevations varying in terms of their design, form and finishes. The entire site was outside the current development boundary of the village of Aberdaron and was therefore in open countryside, with the western and southern boundary of the proposed site partly abutting the current development boundary. The class 3 public road was situated adjacent to the western boundary and what would be the front of the site with access and a right of way into agricultural lands running along the land's northern boundary. The site was within the Llŷn AONB and the Llŷn and Ynys Enlli Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest designations and within a 500m zone from a scheduled monument.

 

It was explained that the village of Aberdaron was defined as a rural/coastal village in the LDP with approximately 95 houses and a few facilities within the current development boundary. Based on the settlement size, it was noted that the development would mean a growth of 7.6% to the settlement, but with recent permission granted to another exception site for 5 units in the settlement, there would be a growth of 12.35% in total which equated to the expected growth level for this settlement. As the site was located outside the development boundary, all units were expected to be for local affordable need. For Aberdaron this is defined as people who are in need of affordable housing and who have lived within the Village, or in the surrounding rural area for five years or more, either immediately before submitting an application or in the past. A 'rural area' was defined in this case as a distance of 6km from the application site and the extent of any Community Council area bisected by the 6km distance, but excluding properties within the development boundary of any settlement other than the settlement within which the application is located.

 

It was noted that a Rural Housing Facilitator Survey had been presented in response to what had been raised at the November 2025 Committee and the survey confirmed that the need had been proven from the main sources, and evidence from the applicant. In this case, and in accordance with the requirements of the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance, there was no purpose in conducting a local survey by a Rural Housing Facilitator but the Survey that had been presented went beyond the requirement of the LDP's planning policies and guidelines.

 

Evidence was submitted in the form of a Housing Needs and Affordable Housing Statement which referred to an identified need on the Social Housing and Tai Teg Register in Aberdaron and the village of Rhiw, stating that Rhiw was located within 6km east of Aberdaron and was not included as a designated settlement, including as a cluster, and therefore it was not possible to provide any new housing development within the settlement. The combined data from the Social Housing and Tai Teg Registers for Aberdaron and Rhiw was confirmed, and that consideration had been given to the contribution that a recently approved application for 5 self-build units would offer to the area.

 

The proposal would provide a neutral scheme in terms of tenure; offering a mix of social rental housing, intermediate affordable rental housing and shared ownership to be able to meet a wide range of need and enable households to move from rented to shared ownership as their circumstances changed. This would offer a completely different local affordable provision to what had already been approved on another site on the outskirts of the village i.e. the recent 5-unit self-build scheme. Based on the information submitted as part of the application it was considered that the need for the development had been confirmed, with the proposal forming a logical extension to the village.

 

The site was located within the AONB, and although it was recognised as an exception site and extended out into agricultural open land, it was not considered that it would have a visual adverse impact and would suit the built context of the existing area and the rest of the village. In the context of general and residential amenities, following a full assessment, the proposal was considered to have been designed to minimise any impact on neighbouring properties, and was therefore acceptable.

 

Attention was drawn to the comments of the Biodiversity Unit, and the potential impact of pollution reaching the Pen Llŷn and Sarnau Special Area of Conservation. It was noted that the issue had received relevant attention, and as a result of imposing pollution control measures during the building works and from the sustainable drainage area, it was not considered that the proposal would have a significant impact on the features of the Special Area of Conservation.

 

It was reiterated that issues of drainage, transport, and language had been addressed and were acceptable subject to relevant planning conditions. It was considered that the proposal complied with the requirements of local and national policies and therefore it was recommended that the application be granted permission, subject to imposing relevant conditions.

 

b)           Taking advantage of the right to speak, the Local Member made the following observations;

·        The village was rural.

·        There was a lot of opposition to the application locally.

·        The proposal was an over-development – the original proposal had been for five houses – this suited the site better.

·        Following discussions with the applicant he was grateful that there had been an amendment to the plan to place the two bungalows to the rear of Y Ddôl – this alleviated concerns as these had been the closest properties to the site.

·        Despite the number of trees in the plans, trees were rare – the Deunant area was vulnerable to inclement weather and trees were rarely allowed to grow.

·        That he thanked the Committee for visiting the site before coming to a decision – this would have provided a better context than a photograph in a report

·        With the housing being social and funded by a Welsh Government grant, it was therefore difficult for the Council to oppose.

·        It appeared that applications from housing agencies were favoured, with a strong recommendation for their approval, but private applications were faced with all kinds of barriers and very often a recommendation to refuse.

·        Was there a genuine need for housing here? That 14 families were on the list – this was a high figure and was questioned locally

·        That rules needed to be amended so that Local Members had access to the waiting list.

·        That the Committee needed to consider the observations of the Community Council and the residents of the village

 

In response to an observation regarding sharing the waiting list with the Local Members, it was noted that this was not possible due to data control rules.

 

In response to an observation regarding favouritism over housing agencies, the Monitoring Officer noted that every application was considered on its own merits.

 

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

·        The figures that proved the need appeared to be ambiguous

·        Despite accepting the need to protect data, information needed to be shared with Members

·       The language unit observations noted that 'it is likely that the size of the development addresses the demand' – this did not confirm certainty of the need

·       The Strategic Housing Unit’s observations also noted 'it appears that the plan addresses the demand in the area' – this was not certain

·        Concern that the number of houses would change Aberdaron – a warning here of the risk of over-development

·        They were not convinced that the data guaranteed 8 houses

·        Welcomed that the bungalows had been moved

·        Why question the number on the waiting list – the figures were in accordance with the Council's system

 

In response to a question regarding why a full report had not been submitted by a Rural Housing Facilitator, it was noted that the need had been proven from the main sources and evidence from the applicant, and in accordance with the requirements of the SPG, there was no purpose in conducting a local survey by a Rural Housing Facilitator.

        

         To approve with conditions 

 

1.            Time

2.            In accordance with the plans

3.            Materials

4.            Affordable housing condition

5.            Highway conditions

6.            Biodiversity conditions/protection of the clawdd

7.            Landscaping condition

8.            Welsh Water Condition

9.            Removal of permitted development rights involving extensions and use

10.          Drainage matters

11.          Building Control Plan

12.          Method statement for the relocation of the 'clawdd'