Application for the demolition of existing
building and erection of hotel with ancillary restaurant and bar together with
associated works including alterations to existing vehicular access, creation
of parking spaces, landscaping and provision of bin store (revised scheme).
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Nia Jeffreys
Minutes:
Application for the demolition of existing building and erection of
hotel with ancillary restaurant and bar together with alterations to the
access, creation of parking spaces and landscaping and provision of bin store
(revised scheme).
(a) The Planning Manager elaborated on the background of the application and
noted that the hotel would have 80 bedrooms over three/four storeys, with a
restaurant and bar on the ground floor with associated facilities, together
with 56 parking spaces and bicycle storage.
She noted that the site was in a prominent location on the outskirts of
Porthmadog, and the building that was previously a tax office, was visible when
travelling over the Cob towards Porthmadog. Some members had visited the site
prior to the meeting.
Attention was drawn to the additional observations that had been
received.
She noted that the
principle of the development was acceptable as developing on brownfield land
and serviced-accommodation provision were supported by national and local
policies.
She highlighted that there were a variety of buildings in the vicinity
of the site and some buildings had historical features. It was not considered
that any specific form existed within the nearby area. She explained that the
existing building was fairly substantial in size with three storeys and a hip
slate roof, however, it had no architectural features of interest. She noted
that the proposal indicated a building situated further back from the public
highway with the car park to the front. She elaborated that the development as
a whole would create a prominent visual change, however, this was not
considered to be unacceptable. It was important to note that there were
landscape and conservation designations close to the site, however, the context
of the site on the outskirts of a busy town had to be considered. The proposal
was not considered to be a significant change to the existing situation and it
was likely that the most impact would only be local. She noted that it was
considered that the impact of the development was not unacceptable considering
the area's nature, the existing building and the nature of the
development.
She explained that
the site was located close to the residential terraced housing of Tros y Bont
(Britannia Terrace and Britannia Place). She noted that there was no doubt that
there would be a change to what existed on the site, however, having considered
the location, form and size of the existing building with what was proposed, it
was deemed that the change would not be unacceptable.
She noted that the
matters that concerned local residents most were the local impact of the
development due to the proposal's size and what was seen as a lack of parking
provision within the site. She highlighted that a Transportation Statement has
been submitted with the application as well as detailed plans indicating transportation
routes in and out of the site. Due to
the concerns highlighted, a thorough assessment of the proposal was conducted
by the Transportation Unit and they confirmed they had no objection to the
proposal.
She drew attention,
following the receipt of the Language Statement, that the Language Unit had
stated that the proposal was likely to have a positive impact on the town and
the Welsh language. She highlighted that the Tourism Service stated that this
type of hotel provision was scarce bearing in mind the number of visitors to
the area.
The development was acceptable in terms of relevant local and national
policies for the reasons given in the report.
(b) Taking advantage of the
right to speak, the applicant’s agent noted the following main points:-
·
The application had been
submitted by the landowners Mapeley Steps and Premier Inn;
·
The proposal would
support the local economy with an investment of approximately £6 million and
would create up to 30 direct jobs;
·
It was expected that the
majority of jobs would be for local people with employment opportunities
supporting sustainable communities where the Welsh language can continue to
thrive;
·
That research and
evidence showed that there was significant need for serviced accommodation of a
high standard in Porthmadog. There was only one other national chain hotel in
Porthmadog;
·
The proposal would
improve the profile of visitors to Porthmadog and would attract new visitors
without having a direct impact on other hotels in the town, as could be seen
with the hotel in Victoria Dock in Caernarfon;
·
Discussions were
conducted regarding the number of parking spaces and they were confident that
parking provision on the site was sufficient considering the location and
accessibility of the development close to the town centre and a number of
nearby public car parks;
·
It was hoped that the
Committee would support the proposal that would be a huge boost to the economy
of Porthmadog.
(c) The local member (not a member of this Planning
Committee) noted the following main points:-
·
The majority of the
community supported the application and welcomed new jobs, additional rooms and
the development of the site. However, a small number noted concerns regarding
the development but did not object it.
·
The main concern of the
residents of Britannia Terrace, Britannia Place and Surveyor's Place was the
parking provision on the site as parking was already a problem in this area of
Porthmadog;
·
That older and disabled
residents had an agreement with the previous owners regarding parking on the
site and they were disappointed that the arrangement had ended;
·
That it was important
for the company to come to an arrangement with the Council in terms of
validating parking and that signage and marketing on the internet should
encourage guests to park at Llyn Bach or Heol y Parc car parks.
·
To encourage the
developer to consult further with local residents about car parking in order to
come to an understanding.
·
That some residents had
requested that building work hours be restricted to between 9am and 5pm, Monday
to Friday;
·
Local builders and
workers should be used during the construction period and where possible
eco-friendly materials and methods;
·
87% of people in the
Porthmadog ward understood or could speak Welsh. Therefore, it was vital that the Welsh
language was prominent in all aspects of the hotel and that it was the natural
language within the hotel from the start, as it was in the town of Porthmadog;
·
That it was necessary to
ensure that fans and ventilation units were set far enough away from nearby
housing.
·
Generally, there was
strong support for the development, however, it was important that local
concerns were considered;
·
That the development was
a statement of confidence in the town of Porthmadog;
·
Encourage the company to
support the town's local businesses in terms of supplying produce. That it was
important that a large company such as this supported small businesses and the
benefits were kept locally.
(ch) It
was proposed and seconded to approve the application.
During
the ensuing discussion, the following main observations were noted by members:
·
The application offered
an excellent opportunity for Porthmadog especially in terms of jobs the
development would create;
·
No objection to the
proposal in principle, the site was in an excellent and convenient location for
a hotel, however, concerns regarding parking provision on the site for guests
and staff needed to be considered. Train services were not very frequent and
the development may mean more parking difficulties in the town bearing in mind
the existing parking situation. It may be possible to either increase the
parking provision or reduce the number of rooms in the hotel to overcome the
problem.
·
The building would be
located back with a softer design than the existing building, therefore it
would be less intrusive. Wanted to see the provision of electric car charging
points at the site;
·
The existing building
was empty and this type of development was needed in Porthmadog. Concern
regarding parking provision. It was hoped that staff would be local and the
Welsh language would be a natural part of the business and it should be ensured
that signage was bilingual. The local member asked the applicants to buy local
produce, this was a good idea however national hotels bought in bulk and
unfortunately no pressure could be brought to bear on them to buy locally. The
development would create jobs which was extremely important;
·
If the application was
approved, could a condition be imposed in the context that the Welsh language
is used by staff, especially reception staff?
·
The applicants should be
requested to use the colours of Wales on the signage;
·
There was access to a
public car park via the rear of the site, that visitors were likely to stay for
two to three nights and the development would be beneficial to shops in the
town and would bring work into the area;
·
Supportive of the
application with the agents' comments confirming the developer's awareness of
the importance of the Welsh language in the area. Parking provision on the site
was sufficient with a train link on the Cambrian Coast Railway and public car
parks nearby. The working times recommended under condition 13 were reasonable
hours. There was a real need for such a development in the area.
(c) In response to the above observations, the
officers noted:
·
That the
transportation assessment had concluded that 56 parking spaces was sufficient
provision for the site considering the sustainability of the site. The site was
located on the outskirts of the town, there were public car parks nearby, train
and bus links as well as a cycling path behind the site. In considering that
this was an application for a hotel and the tendency of guests to park and
leave their cars overnight, the car parks could cope with the additional
requirement. There were over 400 parking spaces in nearby car parks and
therefore the development was unlikely to create parking problems on nearby
streets;
·
That the
wish to ensure that the Welsh language was a natural part of the hotel from the
start was extremely important. It was difficult to have conditions regarding
who would be employed and their language. It was recommended that a condition
be imposed to ensure that signage was bilingual and a note could be attached,
if the application was approved, to note the importance of contacting
Hunaniaith (the local Welsh Language Initiative) prior to developing the site
to get further understanding about the area's Welshness;
·
A discussion
could take place with the applicants regarding the design of signs on the site.
RESOLVED to
approve the application.
Conditions:
1. Time
2. Compliance with plans
3. All materials to be agreed prior to being
installed
4. Natural
slate
5. Landscaping
6. Highways/Parking
7. Welsh Water
8. Biodiversity
9. Protect the footpath/cycle path
10. Archaeology
11. Natural Resources Wales
12. Construction environmental management plan
13.
Construction method statement / working time
14. Bilingual
signage
15. Agree
on details to restrict opening of windows/ opaque glass
16. Lighting
plan
17. Keep
bin/service area clear
18. Boundary
treatments (especially considering the listed buildings) of the site on the
town's outskirts.
19. Agree
on type/form and location of solar panels before installation
20. Sustainable
Drainage note.
Note: The importance of contacting Hunaniaith (the local
Welsh Language Initiative) prior to developing the site to get further
understanding about the area's Welshness
Supporting documents: