Erection of three detached two storey dwellings and associated developments.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elfed Williams
Minutes:
Construction of three two-storey detached dwellings and associated developments.
(a)
The Development Control Officer expanded on the application’s background and noted that the application had been before the Planning Committee twice already and an
inspection visit had been conducted. It was explained that the proposal was to erect three two-storey dwellings on a brownfield site within the development boundary of Clwt y Bont. The application
site had been used in the past mainly as a car park for the Post Office over the road (which was now closed). It appeared that the site was created by means of materials
being in-filled in the past to create a level platform approximately 60m x 30m with steep slopes falling
from the land on three sides.
Reference was made to matters concerning amenities as seen in
paragraphs 5.11 to 5.23 of the report
where matters such as the visual
impact, impact on privacy, concerns
regarding unstable land and biodiversity
issues were considered and the conclusion was that the proposed development was acceptable in terms
of these matters subject to the conditions proposed in Section
7 of the report.
Bearing in mind that
this was a brownfield site within the development boundary, it was noted that
the principle of developing
the site was supported by the Unitary Development Plan. However, Policy CH4 stated that it should
be ensured that a proportion of all units proposed to be built within villages should be affordable units, unless it
would be inappropriate to provide affordable housing on the site. There was a detailed reference to the matter in paragraphs
5.1 to 5.8 of the report.
Viability Calculations were provided with the application that indicated that the scheme would not be viable with an
affordable element. It was noted that
the Council's Property Unit
had agreed that the building costs submitted were reasonable and the Joint Planning Policy Unit had used a standard methodology, they and other
councils use, to assess the viability of proposed housing developments, and they agreed that
the scheme would not be economically viable should it include
an element of affordable housing.
Following the discussion at the previous Committee, the Policy Unit confirmed their calculations and they believed by
considering the evidence before them, that
it would not be reasonable to refuse the application on the grounds of a lack of affordable provision. It was also important to bear in mind
that, due to the restrictions of the site in relation to highways access, that it was not possible to develop the site to its full
potential, the site was large enough to possibly include five or six
units and then the affordable element would certainly
become more viable. However, considering the site's restrictions and the evidence before them, it was not deemed that there
was justification to request
that one of the houses should be affordable in a scheme of this scale. It was considered that the development proposed was acceptable in principle and
as it was unlikely to have an unacceptable detrimental effect on the amenities of the local area that
the application should be approved.
(b) The local member (not a member of this
Planning Committee) objected to the application for the following reasons:
·
House prices were not affordable to local
people bearing in mind the area's low wages
·
There was no reference to the cost of buying
the site
·
Concern about the building density of the
site
·
There were figures and detailed studies of
house prices yet in paragraph 5.6 it was stated that it was not possible to get
specific information for the Clwt y Bont and Deiniolen area and it
was therefore questioned how the application could be fully assessed
·
That scrap comprising old cars, buses
etc. had been buried on the land and
any prospective developer would have to excavate and extract tonnes of rubble from the site
·
That the building work would have an impact
on the amenities of neighbouring residents
·
There would be increasing traffic on a narrow
road and there was concern regarding child safety especially as there were no
suitable places for lorries to turn
·
Nuisance that would include noise, dust and darkening
of residents' houses
·
Whilst the Planning Department
stated that the negative impact on residents during
the building work should not be considered, the member felt that if this Council
was serious in its campaign to implement the principles of
“Ffordd Gwynedd” then every
decision should be made by placing
the people of Gwynedd central
to everything and therefore the only decision that could
be made was to refuse the application.
·
That sites had already received consent at Clwt y Bont that respond to the needs of Deiniolen and Clwt y
Bont
(c) In response to the above observations, the Senior Planning
Service Manager explained that the application had been deferred for
decision previously in order to receive
more details regarding affordable housing and reference was made to the specific paragraphs in the report. It was recognised that residents were aware of the site's history and the development costs reflected this type of site. It was confirmed that this application had been checked by
the Property Unit and the Council's Joint Policy Unit and there was no justification
in this case
to demand affordable housing. In addition, there
was evidence that there was a general need for
housing and therefore there was no evidence to refuse the application. There was a comment that the residential amenities of residents needed to be considered
and this would be addressed in condition 6 of the planning permission to develop the site and that
the application was in compliance with the relevant policies.
(ch) Proposed and seconded to approve the application.
(a)
The
following points were noted against approving the application:
·
The road was narrow
·
Impact on the area's amenities
·
Affordable housing
(dd) The following points were noted
in favour of the application:
·
The Community Council did not object to the
application
·
There was no objection from the Council's Transportation Department in relation to an increase in
traffic.
(b)
In response to additional enquiries from
individual Members, the Senior Planning Service Manager noted:
·
that the frustrating nature
of the road network was limited to the density of housing and this
is why more houses cannot be developed on the site.
·
there would be conditions within the consent to address concerns regarding traffic increase
·
there would be a condition regarding the
building method and a condition could be imposed to inspect the site in the
context of land pollution
·
in terms of safety, the building work would
be addressed within the building regulations
Resolved: To approve in accordance with
the following conditions:
1. Time
2. Comply with plans
3. Slate
roofs
4. Details of external materials must be submitted and approved
5. Welsh
Water Condition
6.
A Construction Method
Statement must be submitted and approved,
which would include
·
Details of any engineering work involving changes to ground levels
·
Plans for dealing
with the boundaries of the site
·
Plan for eradicating Japanese knotweed
·
A landscaping and tree planting
scheme including control details of these features in the long-term
7. A
desktop investigation must be submitted to assess the pollution risk. If the desk-top
inspection indicated that further action was needed, any precautionary
and/or remedial
measures would have to be agreed prior to commencing work on the development.
8. No site clearance work during the bird nesting season
9. Highway conditions
10. A suitable fence must be constructed
around the garden of the house
to the south-east.
11. Withdrawal of permitted development rights.
Supporting documents: