Application
to vary condition 3 of planning permission C13/0028/35/AM in order to extend
the time given to submit the reserved matters.
LOCAL MEMBER:
Councillor Eirwyn Williams
Minutes:
Application
to change condition 3 of planning permission C13/0028/35/AM in order to extend
the time granted to submit reserved matters
(a) The Senior Development
Control Officer elaborated on the background of the application, noting that
the application had been deferred at a previous planning committee in order to
receive information on linguistic matters and it was confirmed that the
Community and Linguistic Statement had been submitted on 1 July 2016 and that
it included information based on the 2011 Census. The proposal involved
erecting 34 residential units for the elderly, one warden accommodation and two
staff accommodation units, and communal facilities along with 18 parking spaces
for the residential units and 15 parking spaces for the use of the George IV
Hotel. Reference was made to the
relevant policies noted in the report along with the relevant planning history
to approve 37 residential units on appeal in 2010 and approve 34 units in 2013. It was noted that there had been no change
in the Planning position since 2013 based on local planning policy or relevant
national advice. It was noted that the
Joint Planning Policy Unit believed that the development would be likely to
assist to retain Welsh-speaking 50+ aged households in the area, and on the
basis that current households were more than likely to move to the new units,
this could release houses to other local households. The officers'
recommendation was to approve and a late statement had been received from the
applicant's agent stating that he was willing to change the period for
submitting reserved matters from 3 years to 2 years.
(b) The Local Member (a member
of this Planning Committee but who did not participate in the decision),
addressed the committee and said that he objected to the application.
(c) It was proposed and
seconded to approve the application.
(ch) The following observations were noted in favour of the
recommendation to approve:
·
That
this was an outline application and that a full application would be submitted
in due course.
·
Whilst
sympathising with the Local Member, there was no valid planning reason to
refuse the application.
·
Ensure
that arrangements were made to dispose of Japanese Knotweed as soon as
possible.
(d) The following points were noted in favour of
refusing the application.
·
The
application had been opposed at the Planning Committee meeting dated 13 June
2016 because more information was needed on linguistic matters.
·
It
was expressed that the situation had changed considerably since 2010 as a
number of similar developments had been approved since 2010, along with nursing
homes such as The Pines, Bryn Awelon had extended,
and Hafod y Gest in Porthmadog
had been demolished to build a new development for this type of service users,
and the developments approved in Pwllheli recently.
·
As
a result of the above, it was questioned whether or not more of this type of
facility was needed in the area.
·
A
letter received from a Doctor in a local practice was read out who was
completely opposed to the proposal because the practice was under considerable
pressure already when attempting to deal with the elderly and also care for 123
patients in nursing homes in Cricieth. As well as work pressure, problems were
experienced when recruiting general practitioners to the surgery and it was not
anticipated that the situation would improve for some years. The Committee was urged to consider the
views of general practitioners in the vicinity of Cricieth.
·
Cricieth Community Council had voted unanimously to
refuse the application based on local views that the need did not exist and
that the development would be a burden on the local infrastructure including
the health service.
(dd) In response to these observations, the Senior
Planning Service Manager noted that
the application before the committee was for houses for the elderly for people aged
55 and older and not for a nursing / care home.
Reference was made to the Committee regarding the type of accommodation
intended and the strategy for the provision which fully complied with the
proposed development.
(e) A Member noted that whilst
sympathising with the Surgery, the demography of the population was changing
with people living longer and the Health Service promoting to keep people in
their homes for as long as possible. It
was felt that the proposal was a
development to be welcomed and that it was the way forward.
(f)
A
vote was taken on the proposal to approve the application.
Resolved: To approve the
application with the planning conditions noted below and the original 106 agreement.
1. Five years.
2. Submit reserved matters (appearance and landscaping) within two years.
3. Restrict use of the units to people over 55 years of age.
4. Materials and finishes.
5. Access and parking.
6. Tree details.
7. Landscaping.
8. Submit a plan for eradicating Japanese knotweed.
9. Welsh Water.
10. Development to comply
with the approved plans.
Supporting documents: