Re-development of site including creating 19 artisan workshops, manufacturing and retail on a small scale, refurbish and adapt existing buildings, change of use to create 3 holiday units together with extensions to existing structures
LOCAL MEMBERS: Councillor Cai Larsen and Roy
Owen
Minutes:
Redevelop site including the creation of 19 artisan
workshops manufacturing and retail on a small scale, restore and adapt existing
buildings, change of use to create three holiday units along with extensions to
the existing construction
a)
The Development Control Manager elaborated on the
background of the application, noting that it was a full application for the
re-development of a mixed use site: Use
Class B1 (light industry and office use), B2 (general industry) and D2
(assembly and leisure) along with ancillary retail in order to create 19
artisan workshops. manufacturing and retail on a small scale, restore and adapt
existing buildings, change of use to create three holiday units along with
extensions and adaptations and erection of new buildings to fill the spaces
between the existing structures.
It was highlighted that the application site was
located within the Caernarfon Conservation area and within the Crucial Setting
of the World Heritage Site Management Plan - the Town Walls and Castles of King
Edward I in Gwynedd (CADW). It was noted that the majority of the site was
within a C2 Flooding Zone as defined in the Development Advice Maps, Technical
Advice Note 15 "Development and Flood Risk" (2004). The site was
designated, along with the rest of the river Seiont
banks, adjacent to St. Helens Road as a re-development site in the
Supplementary Planning Guidance: Development Briefs.
It was noted that the latest plans submitted with
the application responded positively in terms of the scale, appearance,
materials and landscaping. It was reiterated that the applicant had submitted
a Linguistic and Community Statement to support the proposal and that the Joint
Planning Policy Unit had come to the following conclusions:
·
It was believed that the
development would offer economic benefits to the local area, leading to
additional expenditure in the local economy.
·
It was believed that the
proposal would also lead to a direct investment and create jobs on the site
with these jobs likely to be suitable for the local population and, to this
end, the proposal would contribute towards keeping the current population in
the area and, in turn, was likely to have a positive impact on the viability of
the Welsh language.
·
On the whole, it was not
believed that the nature or scale of the proposed development was likely to
have a detrimental impact on the Welsh language.
It was
highlighted that Welsh Water had temporarily objected to this application on
the grounds of lack of information relating to the status of the existing local
public sewer system and the need for further details regarding the existing and
proposed flow rate of surface water and foul water from the site, considering
that the existing public system had a restricted capacity for receiving
additional flow.
It was noted that discussions had taken place between
the applicant's agent, officers from the Local Planning Authority and Natural
Resources Wales with regard to the implications of developing on a large part
of the site which was within a C2 Flooding Zone as defined in the Technical
Advice Note 15 – Development and Flood Risk (2004). It was acknowledged that
the site was open to tidal floods from the Menai
Straits and, as a result of these discussions as well as submitting a Flooding Consequences
Assessment, raising the floor surface levels, re-locating the development which
is most sensitive and open to floods (the three holiday units) to a site which
is outside the C2 Zone, as well as including material conditions relating to
mitigating measures, it is believed that, by now, the development was
acceptable based on the ability to manage flood risk.
b)
Taking advantage of the right to speak, the
applicant’s agent noted the following main points:-
·
That this element was key
to the regeneration of the project
·
That the site was unused and vacant
·
That the plan was exciting
·
That this offered obvious
benefits to the community
·
That the design protected
the image of the town - created new views
·
The site was a feature
between the castle and the railway
·
That the plan was a new destination for the town
·
Offered sites to sell local
goods and for local artisans to develop their skills
c)
It was proposed and seconded to approve
the application.
ch) In response to a question regarding why
opportunities could not be given to other businesses except for B1, B2 and D2,
it was noted that the restriction controlled the site; however, it was
reiterated that this could be revisited should the situation change, by submitting
a new planning application.
RESOLVED
to delegate powers to approve the application, subject to receiving favourable
observations from Welsh Water and also subject to the following conditions:
Conditions:-
1. Five
years.
2. In
accordance with the plans.
3. Agree
with external elevation details, including samples of the different materials
before starting on the work on the site.
4. Natural
Resources Wales conditions in relation to flood prevention mitigating measures.
5. Highway
conditions.
6. Protected
species condition
7. Restrict
the retail use to be ancillary to the use of the workshops only.
8. Welsh
Water conditions
9. Restrict the use of the development to Use Classes B1, B2 and C3 (holiday units).
Supporting documents: