Agenda item

Demolish existing rear extensions and erect new two storey extension together with landscaping works, erect new bike and bin store and re-organise layout of car park

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elin Walker Jones

 

Link to relevant background documents

 

DECISION: Right to take act - to approve with conditions subject to receipt of further information and positive comments from the Drainage Unit 

 

1.         5 years

2.         In accordance with the plans.

3.         Archaeological condition

4.         Details of secondary glazing to be agreed beforehand

5.         Agree to reuse materials from the building to be demolished

6.         Aluminium rainwater goods

7.         Specifications of solar panels

8.         Details of any lights to be agreed

9.         Details of any signs to be agreed

10.       Details of the screen by the stairs to be submitted before its installation

11.       Details of how the footprint of the gym will be recorded must be submitted before its demolition

12.       Submit samples of the materials

13.       Use of lime with any pointing/rendering work

14.       Highways Condition

15.       Welsh Water Conditions

16.       Language Conditions

17.       Biodiversity conditions including agreeing mitigation measures and completing the improvements

18.      Agree on a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP)  before work commences – to include working hours

 

 

Demolition of rear extensions and erection of a new two-storey extension along with landscaping works, erect a bicycle and bin storage building, and rearrange car park layout.

 

Attention was drawn to the Late Observations Form (observations from the Land Drainage Unit).

 

a)           The Planning Officer highlighted that this was a full application with a proposal to demolish the two-storey rear section of the building and erect a new modern two-storey extension to enable teaching rooms to be brought up to modern standards. The new extension would be a mix of light grey / red brick and red aluminium cladding to include two large lecture halls, a general teaching room, toilets and seating areas, as well as corridors, stairs and external doors and a new lift. On the second floor of the extension, there will be space for the two lecture halls, as well as seating areas, toilets, equipment rooms and stores - all of these connecting to the main building. It was explained that internal restoration work within the main building was also part of the application, but the work did not require formal planning permission, but it had been assessed within the associated listed building application (C25/0706/11/CR). It was reiterated that a listed building assessment had been completed on the demolition work and the extensions' buildings.

 

It was reported that the building was very striking and significant, with an emphasis on its front elevation. There would be no change to the front elevation because the demolition work to the rear of the building would mean demolishing a significant extension from the 1930s; however, the demolition would mean that an extension could be erected that provided purposeful space to ensure long-term use of the building by Bangor University as part of their existing campus. It was noted that the landscaping work, re-arranging the parking provision and creating bicycle spaces also formed part of the application, with an intention to facilitate the connection by creating a new path to connect the University sites.

 

The site lies within the development boundary of the City of Bangor but outside the central area. It was highlighted that there were University sites near the site, as well as adjacent residential dwellings. The building was a grade II listed building.

 

Given the previous use of the site as a school and college, the relevant policy was Policy ISA 3 which noted that proposals were permitted for new facilities or extensions to existing buildings for academic or support purposes as long as there was consideration to the scale, location, design, amenity and transportation.

 

In terms of design matters, it was considered that the extension was designed around the existing features of the building which included use of the colour red around the windows; a modern contemporary design located to the rear of the main building as an ancillary extension. It was elaborated that the main building would continue to be the main focus, and with features such as the pitched roof on the extension suited the old building, it was considered that the design was acceptable and complied with policies PCYFF 2, PCYFF 3 and PS 10.

 

In the context of transportation and access matters, it was noted that a transportation statement had been submitted with the application, expressing that there was no intention to change or adapt the existing vehicular access, but to re-arrange the existing parking spaces within the site - the Transportation Unit had no objection to the proposal. It was reiterated, although public transport services often passed the site and there were paths for pedestrians and cyclists, however, it was considered that it would be reasonable to include a condition to agree to create a safe path for cyclists to improve the current situation. The proposal addressed the requirements of policies TRA 2 and TRA 4 of the Local Development Plan (LDP).

 

In the context of Biodiversity matters, the Biodiversity Unit had no objection to the proposal after they received and approved a plan showing the locations of the bat and bird nest boxes. However, concern was highlighted about the installation of two of the boxes at the front of the main building and although there was an agreement with the Biodiversity Unit to relocate them, it was considered that imposing a condition to agree the new location prior to their installation was acceptable. Reference was made to observations from Natural Resources Wales that agreed with this but proposed relevant conditions to follow the appropriate measures.

 

In the context of Archaeological matters, reference was made to the Heneb observations which suggested, due to the demolition on the site, to impose a condition to ensure a suitable operating plan in advance. It was considered that this was reasonable and the proposal therefore complied with the requirements of policy PS20 of the LDP.

 

When discussing Drainage matters, it was noted that there was an initial proposal to connect the surface water to the main sewer, but it was highlighted that Welsh Water had noted that this was not acceptable. The Land Drainage Unit had confirmed that the developer had now submitted a SAB application for the development, but they were not in a situation to approve the application because further investigation was required.  Having received new observations from the Land Drainage Unit (late observations form), which noted that it could not be assured that it was possible to deal with the surface water from the site in an acceptable way, and in accordance with the requirements of Technical Advice Note 15 without further information and approval of the SuDS Approval Body, the recommendation was amended.

 

Attention was drawn to the language statement submitted as part of the application with the Language Unit providing positive observations.  It was considered that it would be appropriate to impose conditions to ensure that signs promoting the development were bilingual and therefore complied with policy PS 1 and the relevant SPG.

 

The Officers recommended to approve the application with conditions subject to receiving further information and positive observations from the Drainage Unit. 

 

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

·        She welcomed the idea of building the Albert Gubay Business School and wished Bangor University good luck with the venture. The University would certainly benefit, and it would also benefit Bangor. Excellent.

·        However, many concerns have been raised and therefore would like to see further conditions on the application as it was being approved.

·        ⁠Completely agree with the Land Drainage Unit's concerns - they needed to be addressed before moving forward.

·        She had consulted personally and arranged a specific meeting with her fellow ward councillors and University officers, where concern was expressed about traffic, water, ecological and environmental impacts, asbestos, disturbance to local residents and the deficiencies of the local consultation process. Although a meeting had been held at Pontio during the summer, it was considered that this was not sufficient as a local consultation, and there was a need to address the concerns of the Maestryfan community located adjacent to the site (a letter was sent to all Maestryfan residents following the meeting with the officers).

·        Drawing attention to a map of the site, it was noted that the plot of land adjacent to the former Ysgol Friars was a plot of land given to the people of Bangor, in a will from a local doctor. It was noted that there was a covenant on the land that nobody could build on it (the doctor was a strong believer that residents required green spaces). Until 2021, it was a piece of derelict land, where dogs were fouling and people used drugs. In 2021, the Maestryfan Community Group was established, and after receiving a grant, the community worked hard to create a beautiful, community garden out of land that was in tatters. Destroying the garden would destroy the heart of the community and therefore there was a need to ensure that all the construction, the dirt and the dust, would not impact the garden.

·        Although uncertain whether bats lived in the nearby trees, it was certain that birds nested in the trees and in the nest boxes around the garden, and therefore she did not want to see these being impacted.

·        The community's narrative had changed since creating the garden - from being a community that felt that everyone had forgotten about it, to being a positive, hopeful community, that was full of enthusiasm and care for each other. The garden was a symbol of the intense community work that had happened and was happening daily in the Maestryfan community; a symbol of the success of a community enterprise and the impacts of losing it would be far-reaching and damaging to the community spirit.

·        Asbestos disposal - expected that the University would ensure that clearing the asbestos would not have a harmful impact on the nearby community.

·        She welcomed the assurance that there were no plans to develop the green field nearest to the construction.

·        Ffordd Ffriddoedd was a main road into Bangor city, a strategic civic corridor; that included specific bus routes in and out of the city. At peak hours, the road was used by over 2000 school pupils and their parents and the staff, who travel to and from two secondary schools, a primary school and an independent school - all of them a stone's throw away from the development. When creating a Traffic Management Plan in and out of the site, the safety of children and adults, as pedestrians, cyclists and car drivers must be considered.

·        There was an underground stream under Belmont Avenue that ran down towards the playing field next to the former Ysgol Friars. This must be considered when planning anything in the vicinity and any changes in the underground water flow, displacing water surface and flood risks because of disturbing the land.

·        Attention was drawn to the fact that the Drainage Unit had refused the application until further investigations had been completed and the recommendation amended.

·        It was asked about the specific impact on Coed Menai. Although observations had been noted about bats and birds, there were no observations about squirrels and barn owls. Consideration should also be given to these species.

·        In principle, I believe that the development could be supported, but definite conditions were required on many matters. The Planning Committee was requested to delay the decision, to allow time to fully address the matters or impose tight conditions when approving - conditions that would consider public safety, detrimental impacts on ecology, the environment and the local community and nearby properties to;

-        Fully address the drainage department's concerns, considering the geographical stream, the area's water flow patterns etc.,

-        ⁠Safe disposal of asbestos

-        Consider and submit detailed plans to avoid harming the existing environment that would include the community garden, nearby garden birds and any other wild species

-        Public Safety. There was a need to submit a plan that considered general traffic density on Ffriddoedd Road, especially at peak times

-        To consider the laudable community benefit to this deprived local community

-        Make good / compensate the community for any damage to the garden.

 

c)           It was proposed and seconded to approve the application subject to including an additional condition about an environmental management plan prior to commencing the work - to include working hours, noise and dust.

 

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

·     The investment was significant to Bangor

·     Welcomed that the building was for education purposes

·     Needed to ensure that the modern additions suited the old buildings

·     Needed to keep the dignity of the building and not take away from the striking appearance

·     Did not wish to see further deterioration to the building that would lead to its demolition

 

RESOLVED to approve with conditions subject to receiving further information and positive observations from the Drainage Unit 

 

1.              5 years

2.              In accordance with the plans

3.              Archaeological condition

4.              Details of secondary glazing to be agreed beforehand

5.              Agree to reuse materials from the building to be demolished

6.              Aluminium rainwater goods

7.              Specifications of solar panels

8.              Details of any lights to be agreed

9.              Details of any signs to be agreed

10.            Details of the screen by the stairs to be submitted before its installation

11.            Details of how the footprint of the gym will be recorded must be submitted before its demolition

12.            Submit samples of the materials

13.            Use of lime with any pointing/rendering work

14.            Highways Condition

15.            Welsh Water Conditions

16.            Language Conditions

17.            Biodiversity conditions including agreeing mitigation measures and completing the improvements

18.            Agree on a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) before work commences – to include working hours