5 Application No. C17/0826/17/LL - Crud y Nant, Bethesda Bach, Caernarfon PDF 170 KB
Extension to existing boat and caravan storage area.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Eric M. Jones
Link
to relevant background documents
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Extension to
existing storage site for boats/caravans
(a) The
Senior Development Control Officer elaborated on the background of the
application and noted that the application had been deferred at the Committee
meeting held on 27 November 2017 in order to undertake a site visit. Some members had
visited the site on 8 December 2017.
Attention was drawn to the additional observations that had been
received.
It was
noted that this was a full application to extend the existing boat/caravan
storage area on a section of open field in order to increase the number of
touring caravans from 10 to 50. It was
highlighted that this application would involve increasing the number of
storage units to 90 units (40 boats and 50 touring caravans).
It was considered that the proposal was
unacceptable based on the principle, location, scale, use, road safety,
residential amenities and visual amenities and that it was contrary to the
requirements of relevant local and national planning policies.
It was recommended to refuse the application on the
following grounds:
·
road safety as the
access road serving the site as well as its junction with the A499 in Bethesda
Bach was substandard;
·
that the proposal would
create an incongruous and prominent feature in the landscape;
·
that the proposal would
have a detrimental impact on the residential and general amenities of local
residents;
·
that the scale of the proposal was unacceptable
within its rural setting.
(b) The Local
Member (a member of this Planning Committee), supported the application and he
made the following main points:-
·
That there was demand for caravan storage areas and
that the development would reduce the number being stored in front of houses;
·
That the applicant was a Welsh-speaker and lived
locally;
·
That he was an example of how to run such a storage
site and that the residents had nothing but praise for him;
·
That no accident had occurred on the road or on the
junction of the A499;
·
That the applicant had invested substantially in
the site in terms of lighting, CCTV and trees to screen the site;
·
The site was well-screened;
·
That the residents near the site did not object to
the proposal;
·
That Llandwrog Community Council supported the
application;
·
That the proposal would not be intrusive and the
site was accessible with a lack of such sites;
·
That the applicant was operating legally whilst
other nearby sites were operating illegally;
·
Requested that the Committee approved the
application with conditions if necessary.
(c) It was proposed to approve the application
contrary to the officers' recommendation as the proposal would not be
intrusive, there was no record of accidents on the road and that it was a
matter of opinion whether or not it would be visible from the concealed site.
The proposal was seconded.
The Senior Planning Service Manager noted that the Transportation Unit objected to the proposal and that evidence was needed if the Committee wished to act contrary to the highways expert. He added that although the visual impact was a ... view the full minutes text for item 5
9 Application No. C17/0826/17/LL - Crud y Nant, Bethesda Bach, Caernarfon PDF 168 KB
Extension to existing boat and caravan storage area.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Eric M. Jones
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Extension to existing storage site for
boats/caravans
(a)
The
Senior Development Control Manager elaborated on the application's background,
noting that it was a full application to extend the existing storage site for
boats/caravans on a section of an open field to increase the numbers of mobile
caravans from 10 to 50.
The recommendation was to refuse the application on
the grounds of road safety, as the proposal was a significant increase in the
number of proposed units to be stored on the site and consequently the number
of vehicles towing a caravan that were likely to use the narrow road between
the site and the A499 at Bethesda Bach.
The site was located on a small open hill in the
countryside, in an area defined by the Capacity and Sensitivity Assessment as
'undulating agricultural landscape comprising small scale fields together with
a pattern of irregular and uneven fields with extensive views of the landscape
itself'. Approving this current
application would detrimentally affect the pattern and character of this
landscape.
Increasing the number of touring caravans from 10
to 50 (in addition to the 40 boats that already had consent at Crud y Nant)
would be a significant increase and impact on road safety. In response to the statutory consultation,
the Transportation Unit had expressed their objection to this current
application on the grounds that the proposal would entail a significant
increase in the number of units proposed to be stored on the site. Bearing in mind that the road to the site was
sub-standard due to its narrow and winding nature and the lack of passing
places/lay-bys, it would create an inconvenience to users who use and serve the
site and would undermine the principles of good safety.
It was considered that there were more suitable
sites available locally for storage (B8 Class use) with an example of a recent
application approved to store touring caravans and vehicles within Penygroes
Industrial Estate.
It was considered that the proposal was
unacceptable in terms of the requirements of Policy TRA4 of the LDP and was not
acceptable based on principle, location, scale, materials, road safety, visual
amenities and residential amenities and was contrary to the requirements of
relevant local and national planning policies.
(b)
Taking
advantage of the right to speak, the applicant noted the following main points:
·
The
site was secure (with CCTV), convenient and well managed.
·
There
were only a few vehicle movements.
·
There
had been no accidents since the site was established 12 years ago.
·
The
damage to the wall was only an allegation.
·
The
business did not affect the neighbours in any way.
·
The
site would be evident from higher ground but would be well screened with trees.
·
That
Llandwrog Community Council had no objection to the application.
·
Initial
discussions had taken place to restrict speed from 40mph to 30mph on the
highway.
(c)
The
Local Member expressed support to the application with the following main
points:
·
That
the site offered good security.
· There were a good arrangements ... view the full minutes text for item 9