Create 12 pitch touring caravan site including highway improvements
LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor W Gareth Roberts
Minutes:
Create 12 pitch touring caravan
site including highway improvements
Attention was drawn to the
additional observations submitted.
(a)
The Senior Development Control Officer elaborated
on the background of the application and noted the proposal to establish a new
touring caravan site to locate 12 caravans together with highway improvements.
The 12 touring caravans would be located near the field's boundaries and would
be placed on hard standings made of fine slate.
It was added that it was also intended to make improvements to two
existing informal lay-bys and a new septic tank to serve the proposal would
also be installed. The site had been
used for many years for the siting of five touring caravans with caravan clubs
where there was no need for formal planning permission. It was understood that there was provision
for bathing, washing and recycling facilities already on the site.
Policy
D19 permitted proposals to develop new touring caravan and touring unit sites
provided they conformed to all of the relevant criteria. The site was located
in the countryside and within the Llŷn and
Bardsey Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest. It was not considered that
the site was located in an obtrusive spot in the landscape, as it was fairly
concealed and surrounded by existing hedgerows and mature boundaries. In
relation to general and residential amenities, it was explained that some
dwellings could be found in the vicinity; however, it was not considered that a
site of 12 touring caravans would constitute an over-development of the site.
In terms of proximity to the roads network, the
site was located approximately 850 metres from a third class county road. There was no need to make alterations to the
access as part of the application; however, it was highlighted that there would
be a condition to ensure that the work of improving the lay-bys would be undertaken
before the use as a caravan site would commence. It was also considered that an
addition to traffic would not have significant harm to local amenities.
Although there were a few other touring caravan sites in the vicinity,
the proposal did not go
beyond the locality’s
reasonable capacity to accommodate such a development when considering the
cumulative impact of existing sites within the area.
It was noted that,
as the proposal involved a tourism development which would create ten or more
holiday units there was a requirement for a Language and Community Statement to
be prepared in order to comply with the Supplementary Planning Guidance:
Planning and the Welsh Language. It was confirmed that a linguistic statement
had been included as part of the application and that the Joint Planning Policy
Unit had responded by noting that the nature and scale of the development were
not likely to have a detrimental impact on the Welsh language.
(b)
It was noted that the Local Member did not object to the application.
(c)
Taking advantage of the right to speak, the agent representing the
applicant noted:
·
That there were five caravan pitches already on the site - the
application was to increase to 12 pitches
·
That the resources and the facilities on the site
could cope with the additions without any further adaptations
·
Two passing bays would be created in order to improve road safety
·
The farm had fishing rights and there it was a resource to attract
visitors to promote the local economy
·
That the development safeguarded local jobs
(ch) It was
proposed and seconded to approve the application.
(d)
In response to an observation regarding the number
of planning applications which were relevant to the property in question, it
was noted that the previous applications were not relevant to the caravans application. It was outlined that they had been
applications to improve the house and farm resources and therefore there were
no concerns about over-development of the site.
In response to a
further questions regarding who provided guidance on the number of caravan
parks in the countryside and along the coast, it was noted that the relevant
policy required the consideration of any cumulative effect and that this would
be undertaken for every such application. It was also outlined that recent work
on the capacity of the landscape by Gillespies as
well as Land Map would be used to assess planning applications.
·
A comment was made that no observations had been received from the
Community Council.
(dd) Resolved
to approve the application in accordance with the amended recommendation.
RESOLVED to approve the application
Conditions:
1. In accordance with submitted plans.
2. The number of units on the site at any one
time to be restricted to 12.
3. Conditions on the timeframe for siting
caravans/holiday period/moving the caravans when not in use.
4. No storing on the land.
5. Records list.
6. Landscaping.
7. Passing spaces to be
completed prior to commencing the permitted use
Notes:
1. Highways notes
2. A copy of standard observations
from Natural Resources Wales
Supporting documents: