Erect 4 affordable dwellings, construction of an estate road and new vehicular access
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Sion Wyn Jones
Link
to relevant background documents
Minutes:
Erect four affordable houses, create a new estate road and a new
vehicular access.
(a) The
Planning Manager elaborated on the background of the application, and noted
that the proposal involved creating an extension to the estate road with a
turning space and siting of four semi-detached two-storey houses. It was noted
that policy CH7 of the GUDP approved proposals for affordable homes on suitable
rural exception sites directly adjoining the boundaries of villages or centres.
Attention was drawn to the fact that the southern side of the site abutted the
development boundary near the Bron Gwynedd estate and, that from this
perspective, the site could be a rural exception site. It was noted further
that the policy only approved developments for affordable housing where the
need had been proven. It was reported that observations had been received from
the Council's Housing Strategic Unit acknowledging the need for this type of
affordable housing in the area, along with a letter from Grŵp Cynefin
expressing their intention to purchase the house. It was noted that it was considered that the
proposal satisfied the requirements of policy CH7 and the Supplementary
Planning Guidance for affordable housing.
It
was reported that a large number of the objections received referred to
previous refusals for residential development on the site and on appeal. It was
explained that the application that had been refused on appeal (3/18/384E) was
an application for outline permission to develop the whole field for a
residential development and that the policy considerations had been different. It was noted that it was considered that this
development was acceptable in principle based on the GUDP's policies and also
within the LDP therefore there was no justification to object to the proposal
on policy grounds.
It
was highlighted that the Planning Inspector was of the opinion that it was not
possible to gain acceptable access to the site and that the additional traffic
off Bron Gwynedd was not acceptable in terms of a development that would
provide approximately 12 to 25 houses.
It was noted that the Transportation Unit was of the opinion that the
increase emanating from the additional four houses would not be substantial and
could be acceptable without causing harm to road safety.
The
development was acceptable in terms of relevant local and national policies for
the reasons noted in the report.
(b) Taking advantage of the right to speak, the
applicant’s agent noted the following main points:
·
That the report provided clear guidance to the
Committee;
·
That the application had been amended in response
to concerns in terms of amenities, the access had been redesigned, a turning
space had been provided and the parking provision had been amended in response
to the observations of the Transportation Unit;
·
In terms of land drainage, a solution had been
agreed with Welsh Water in principle.
·
The development would contribute towards the
Council's target in terms of providing affordable housing;
·
That Grŵp Cynefin had expressed their
intention to purchase the houses.
(c) The local member (not a member of this Planning Committee)
objected to the application and he made the following main points:-
·
That the site was outside the development boundary
and the land had not been included in the LDP due to the observations of the
Planning Service;
·
Local concerns in terms of access to the site,
sewerage and land drainage, the need to consider the additional pressure;
·
That Welsh Water had objected originally and no
evidence had been received to confirm Welsh Water's solution;
·
That there was a need for affordable housing, but
in the right location;
·
That the Community Council objected to the
proposal;
·
To ask the Planning Committee to visit the site.
(ch) A
proposal to undertake a site visit was made and seconded.
A
member noted that it would be appropriate for the Committee to receive
confirmation of Welsh Water's views.
RESOLVED to undertake a site visit and receive confirmation of Welsh
Water's views.
Supporting documents: