Create a new car park including drainage works, earthworks, signs together with street lighting.
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Dafydd Meurig
Minutes:
Create a new car park to include drainage work,
excavation, signage together with street lighting
Attention
was drawn to the additional observations.
(a) The Planning Manager elaborated on the application's background, to
create a new car park, including associated work, on an existing vacant plot at
Parc Bryn Cegin, Llandygai (Plot 1).
The intention of the plan was to provide Park and Share facilities as
part of a wider plan to place such facilities in strategic locations across
north Wales to alleviate the likely transportation impact during the
construction phase of Wylfa Newydd power-station. The site would provide
parking spaces for approximately 178 cars with 12 disabled parking spaces, 11
electric car charging points, bicycle and motorcycle storage together with a
bus stop.
It was
reported that the facility would have an area of 0.955ha and situated on the
Bryn Cegin Strategic Regional Business Site approximately 1km south of the development
boundary of the Bangor Sub-regional Centre, as defined by the Anglesey and
Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan (LDP). He emphasised that it was part of a
site that has been protected as a Strategic Regional Business Site. Parc Bryn
Cegin was protected as a Strategic Regional Business Site for businesses in Use
Classes B1, B2 and B8 by policy CYF 1 in the LDP. It was shown that there was overwhelming
justification for the facility, and because of the strategic importance of this
plan and the transport and economic advantages that would
derive from it, it was considered that there was a strong justification for
overriding the designation in this specific case.
Two specific policies within the
LDP were highlighted as being relevant to this application - strategic policy
PS 12 (Wylfa Newydd - parking facilities and park and ride and park and share
facilities) and PS9 (Wylfa Newydd and Related Development).
It was reported that the three
residential properties of Rhos Isaf backed onto the site and the development
would be seen from the rear of these properties. Having said this, the parking
site would be at a level lower than the existing houses and a new tree screen
would be installed between these locations. In terms of general and residential
amenities it was noted that the parking area would be less detrimental than an
industrial use.
The Transportation Unit and Welsh
Government's Transportation Department had no objection to the plan in terms of
its impact on transport.
Some late observations had been
received from Gwynedd Archaeological Planning Service, noting that it was
considered that the proposal satisfied the relevant policies if a suitable
condition was placed on any permission granted.
As a result
of the assessments, it was not considered that the proposal was contrary to any
material planning policy within the LDP, that the proposed development was
appropriate for the site and was likely to be of a strategic importance to the
county. It was noted that it was not considered that the proposal was likely to
cause any unacceptable detrimental impact to nearby residents or the community
in general.
Reference was made to observations
submitted by the Local Member, noting that he had no objections to the
application; that he welcomed the car-sharing initiative and that there was a
need locally for the facility; that no interest had been forthcoming in the
site for industrial use.
(b) It was proposed and seconded to approve the
application.
(c) During the ensuing discussion, the following
points were made by individual Members:
·
There was no certainty
about the Wylfa Newydd development - this was premature.
·
What would be the
long-term impact of the loss of a site that had been designated for industrial
use? Would this be an obstacle to other developers?
·
There was local
interest in the matter - the application should have been discussed in
Caernarfon and shown via web-cast.
·
That there was a local
need for the proposal
·
A need to confirm when
the car park would be available for the local community as the application's
main purpose would be to reduce traffic movement to Wylfa Newydd
·
Assurance was needed
that the observations and condition received from the Gwynedd Archaeological
Planning Service were included
(ch) In response to a question about the security
of the site as it was located in an open and isolated area, and whether CCTV
was part of the plan, the officers noted that they had no information on this, but
they would contact the applicant to ask for information.
RESOLVED to approve the application.
Conditions:
1.
Time
2.
Compliance with the plans
3.
A drainage plan must be submitted prior to the commencement of the
development
4.
Implementation must be in accordance with the recommendations in the
environmental report
5.
The landscaping must be undertaken in the next planting season following
the completion of development and shall be maintained thereafter.
An appropriate
archaeological works programme
Supporting documents: