Agenda item

Erection of 36 no. dwellings and associated infrastructure works including roads and footpaths, amenity space, landscaping and drainage measures, and a new substation.

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Dewi Jones

 

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To approve with conditions

 

1.               5 years

2.               In accordance with the plans

3.               Highways Conditions

4.               Tree protection fencing must be installed prior to the commencement of any construction work to avoid damage to the trees and any potential liability

5.               Biodiversity condition – Hedgerow and in line with the green infrastructure statement

6.               Welsh Water Conditions

7.               Public Protection conditions – noise mitigation measures, installation of acoustic fencing, details of air source heat pumps, working hours

8.               Submission of a Construction Environmental Management Plan

9.               Land contamination conditions

10.            Archaeological conditions

11.            Welsh Name

12.            Affordable Housing condition

13.            C3 only condition

14.            Removal of permitted rights

 

Notes

 

Highways

SuDS

Major Development

 

Construction of 36 houses and associated infrastructure works including roads and footpaths, amenity space, landscaping and drainage measures and a new substation.

 

a)     The Senior Planning Officer highlighted that the application related to the construction of 36 dwellings on land located on the outskirts of Caernarfon - a site abutting a residential estate on one side and a single dwelling and industrial site on the other side. The development would provide 10 flats, 3 bungalows and 23 houses, with all units being affordable, including a mix of social rent housing and intermediate rent housing. In addition to the dwellings, the scheme will include an estate entrance and road, parking spaces, open spaces and a sustainable drainage area with associated landscaping.

 

The site lies outside, but immediately adjacent to, the Caernarfon development boundary as defined in the LDP. Access is gained to the site off the Class 1 county road running along the northern boundary of the site, with a public footpath running along the eastern boundary of the site. Flood zone 2 and flood zone 3, surface water and small watercourses, are located close to the south-eastern boundary of the site.

 

In accordance with the appropriate procedure, a Pre-Application Consultation Report was submitted as part of the application and the developer had advertised the proposal to the public and the statutory consultees prior to the submission of a formal planning application.

 

Reference was made to the observations of the Housing Strategic Unit which confirmed the general affordable need (no local connection) for Peblig, with further information received from the Unit confirming that the affordable need with a 5-year connection with Caernarfon (Band 1A-2), was 199 (September 2026) and that 323 were on the Tai Teg list for an intermediate 2/3 bedroom property (total for all types of dwellings was 351). It was noted that these figures did not include the rural need within 6km of Caernarfon, therefore the overhead figure was likely to be higher.

 

It was reported that the proposal was for housing where a clear affordable need had been proven, on a site located outside the development boundary, but abutting the development boundary for Caernarfon. It was considered that the proposal formed a logical extension to the town and therefore complied in full with the requirements of policies PCYFF 1 and PCYFF 2, TAI 8, TAI 15 and TAI 16 of the LDP, as well as the relevant advice provided within the Supplementary Planning Guidance and national direction within Planning Policy Wales and Technical Advice Notes.

 

It was highlighted that the current land was agricultural land and that the proposal was to plant and retain a hedge to surround the site in order to mitigate the substantial detrimental impact on the broader landscape. Considering that the proposal was located on the outskirts of the town, and that it would be difficult to assimilate into the broader built landscape of Caernarfon, it was considered acceptable and that it would not have a substantial detrimental impact on the character of the area or the broader landscape. It was considered that the proposal was acceptable and provided a logical extension to the settlement and complied with the relevant requirements of policies PS 5, PCYFF 3 and PCYFF 4 and TAI 16.

 

In the context of linguistic matters, it was noted that criterion 2 of Policy PS 1 stated that a Welsh language Impact Assessment would be required as the proposed development was on an unexpected windfall site for a large-scale housing development - the fact that this was an exception site outside the development boundary meant that it was an unexpected windfall site. Reference was made to the Supplementary Planning Guidance 'Maintaining and Creating Distinctive and Sustainable Communities', which noted that such developments would be considered a 'large scale' housing development. It was confirmed that a Welsh Language Impact Assessment had been submitted with the application, and in the Language Unit's response to the consultation, it was confirmed that the linguistic impact was comprehensive on the whole and that the risk/ linguistic impact acknowledged by the applicant was neutral. It was reiterated that a condition on providing a Welsh name for the estate would be imposed on any decision. Consequently, it was not considered that the proposal was contrary to the relevant requirements of policy PS 1.

 

Having considered all relevant planning matters, it was considered that the proposal was acceptable and met the requirements of relevant local and national policies. The officers recommended to approve the application with conditions.

 

b)     Taking advantage of the opportunity to speak, a speaker on behalf of the applicant noted

·        That he was very proud to be able to submit the development before the Committee.

·        The plan was to build 36 new homes at a time when a lack of such homes was a national crisis.

·        That the housing crisis affected the city, towns and villages of the county and Adra was striving to attempt to meet the need everywhere and fairly.

·        That the proposal offered a good mix of housing, which would be a mix of social and intermediate rent properties.

·        That over 360 people were on the Council's social housing list and over 350 on the Tai Teg list for intermediate rent, who wished to live in Caernarfon - the need for houses in the town was huge.

·        The proposal was to be developed on an exception site, but because of the different restrictions in the town, there was a lack of suitable areas to respond to the need.

·        The development in this location created a sensible extension to the town.

·        ⁠That the proposed homes were 100% affordable, not just in rent levels, but they had also been designed to exceed the energy performance requirements of building control.

·        Used electricity only, with solar panels, heat pumps and reached a high A standard for energy efficiency.

·        That parking spaces, play areas, surrounding walking paths and to the bus service had been included in the plan as well as traffic calming measures - creating a safe and pleasant community to live in.

·        That the plan met the main requirements of the Council's planning policies.

·        That no objections had been received from the statutory consultees or the local community and thanked the Town Council and Planning Officers for their support to the plan.

 

c)     Taking advantage of the right to speak, the Local Member made the following comments:

·        That he was in favour of the application.

·        He took advantage of the opportunity to highlight the comments of Public Protection regarding noise matters due to the proximity of the development to Cibyn Industrial Estate (comments also made by local residents); he therefore was eager to see all recommendations proposed to mitigate the noise impact being taken seriously.

·        Nobody wanted to see people moving to new houses and then discovering a noise problem, and so he was pleased that the matter had received a detailed assessment and that there were firm conditions regarding window insulation and ventilation and installing an acoustic fence had been addressed, along with imposing restrictions to working hours to reduce the impact on people living nearby.

·        He would like to see a path connecting the proposed estate with the Glan Peris and Ffordd Cibyn area and that the development is seen as a part of the Ysgubor Goch estate and not separated.

·        That the need for affordable housing in Caernarfon was huge.

·        That there were 79 band 1A applications in Peblig - 36 of the homes would therefore be offered to local people.

·        That there were 253 1A, 1B and A2 applications - these all needed a home in Caernarfon and therefore saw the scheme as an opportunity for 36 of his electors to have a home.

·        That the development was 100% affordable.

·        That the scheme would help people who already lived in Caernarfon and those with a connection with the town to stay in their local community - the need was clear.

·        That a good mix of houses had been included.

·        The development proposed improvements to walking paths, access to the bus stop; the plan included a play area and open spaces.

·        It was an opportunity to provide houses that are genuinely needed in Caernarfon, which would ensure that there are local concerns, particularly concerns about noise, being treated properly.

·        Happy to support the application.

 

d)     It was proposed and seconded to approve the application in accordance with the recommendation.

 

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

·        Welcomed the development.

·        It was nice to see a housing scheme with local community support.

·        It was a nice plot on the outskirts of the town with convenient walking paths and a bus stop.

·        Created a safe community, a Welsh community.

·        The plan responded to the obvious need that had been expressed by the number of people who wished to live in the Peblig ward.

·        It was a suitable mix of houses.

·        Was an estate of adequate size to the Caernarfon area.

·        Essential that the homes were insulated to a high standard from noise.

 

In response to a question regarding the 'local' need and whether the application was relevant to the local community or 'local to Gwynedd', it was noted that since this was an exception site that proposed 100% affordable housing on a site immediately adjacent to the development boundary, that it will meet the local need for Caernarfon and the nearby rural area, which was a distance of 6km from the application site and all Community Council areas divided by the 6km distance, excluding property within the development boundary of any settlement except for that settlement where the application is located.

 

In response to a question regarding the observations of Caernarfon Town Council that social housing in Gwynedd did not meet the passive house standards and the disappointment that there was no alternative scheme for heating the housing, e.g. district heat, ⁠the Assistant Head of Department noted that houses being built by Housing Associations had to meet specific standards in terms of their construction and sustainability. Solar panels would be an integrated part of these houses, and heat pumps, and therefore were certain to be a sustainable scheme, not only in terms of construction and materials, but also due to its location.

 

RESOLVED: To approve with conditions

 

1.            5 years

2.            In accordance with the plans

3.            Highways Conditions

4.            Tree protection fencing must be installed prior to the commencement of any construction work to avoid damage to the trees and any potential liability

5.            Biodiversity condition - Hedgerow and in line with the green infrastructure statement

6.            Welsh Water Conditions

7.            Public Protection conditions - noise mitigation measures, installation of acoustic fencing, details of air source heat pumps, working hours

8.            Submission of a Construction Environmental Management Plan

9.            Land contamination conditions

10.          Archaeological conditions

11.          Welsh Name

12.          Affordable Housing condition

13.          C3 only condition

14.          Removal of permitted rights

 

Notes

 

Highways

SUDS

Major Development