Demolish existing buildings and erection of retirement living house (30 units) along with communal facilities, landscaping and car parking
LOCAL MEMBER:
Councillor Michael Sol Owen
Minutes:
Demolish existing buildings and erection of retirement living houses (30
units) along with communal facilities, landscaping and car parking.
The item was
chaired by the Vice-chair, Councillor Anne Lloyd Jones.
(a)
The Development Control Manager elaborated on the
background of the application and noted that it had been deferred at the
Planning Committee on 22 February 2016 in order to receive further information
relating to the open market price of the units, viability matters and an
explanation as to why the design was for a three-storey house.
It was further noted that the development was to demolish existing
buildings and construct a new building to provide 30 retirement apartments
along with community facilities for the residents within the development. The
proposal in question would contribute towards a provision of local retirement
homes and where such homes were not available locally. From the information submitted with the
application, it was noted that the units would be sold on a 125 year lease with
the accommodation would be occupied by a person aged over 60 years or in the
case of a couple that one of them was aged over 60 years and the other was aged
over 55 years.
It was noted that, as part of the application, a
Planning Obligations and Affordable Housing Statement had been submitted by the
applicant. Within this document it was noted that the open market prices of one
bedroom units was £157,000 and the two bedroom units was £215,000. It was also
noted that the applicant continued to argue that it was not viable to have any
contribution towards affordable housing as part of the development. Members
were reminded that when the application was submitted to Committee on 22
February 2016, the applicant had offered a commutative sum towards affordable
housing of £40,000 in order to proceed. Following the Committee's decision to
defer the application, the applicant had been contacted regarding viability
issues and he had been challenged regarding a higher commutative sum. It was reported that the applicant had now
made an offer of £94,000 towards affordable housing which was in line with the
amount that the Joint Planning Policy Unit's assessment had expressed. It was
noted that this financial contribution had been earmarked for off-site
affordable housing provision. As a result of the viability issues with the
development it was considered to be reasonable to accept the offer of £94,000
towards an off-site affordable housing provision, in this case, and that the
proposal therefore complied with the requirements of Policy CH6 of the
GUDP.
In
addition, since February 2016, Natural Resources Wales and the Biodiversity
Unit had been convinced that the proposal was not likely to cause disturbance
or unacceptable harm to protected species and thus it complied with policy A1
and B20 of the GUDP.
(b)
The local member (a member
of this Planning Committee) made the following main points:-
·
That he had received several calls and there was
strong local support to the development
·
Good consultation work had
been undertaken between the officers and the applicant
·
The flooding issue had now
been resolved - this was encouraging
·
Welcomed that the viability
sum had been increase to the full amount
·
He strongly suggested that the Committee approved
the application
(c)
It was proposed and seconded to approve the
application.
(ch) In response to an enquiry regarding who would
decide on the expenditure of the £94k, it was noted that it was the
responsibility of the Strategic Housing Unit which had close links with the
County's Housing Associations. It was confirmed that the Llŷn
Dependency Area would receive the money.
In
response to a further question regarding ensuring that the company recognised
the Welsh language in all aspects of its work, whether that be administratively
or visually, it was noted that it was not possible to impose a specific
condition but that it was possible to draw the applicant's attention to the
comment.
In
response to a question regarding the number of parking spaces, it was noted
that the proposal of 22 parking spaces was adequate, and it was noted that it
would be possible to use the public car park nearby and that it was intended to
create a footpath in this direction.
(d) During
the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made:-
·
Welcomed the development - encouraged older people
to live independently
·
Welcomed that the financial contribution had
increased, but continued to consider the sum low given the cost of the houses
·
Concern regarding
additional payments - the unit costs seem high and therefore
concern that local residents would be priced out of the market.
Resolved
to approve subject to signing a 106 Agreement for the commutative sum of
£94,000 towards off-site affordable housing and to conditions -
1.
Commence within five years
2.
In accordance with plans.
3.
Agree materials for the external elevations and roofing slate.
4.
Highways conditions to include - parking spaces to be operational prior to
the occupation of the units, retain 22 parking spaces at all times, completion
of the access in accordance with plans, access to be completed with compacted
and levelled rocks and to ensure that the surface water system is completed.
5.
Natural Resources Wales conditions in terms of flooding matters - site
level plans, ground level to be no lower than 3.87m
6.
Natural Resources Wales and Biodiversity Unit conditions in terms of
landscaping matters, lighting levels and in accordance with the bats details
submitted.
7.
Welsh Water conditions relating to surface water, foul water and land
drainage.
8.
Work to comply with the trees report and tree root preservation plan.
9.
No work to be carried out on trees without
permission.
10.
To replant trees lost within five years.
11.
To complete a programme of archaeological work.
12.
Undertake the work in accordance with the recommendations in the Land
Contamination Report.
13.
Need to eradicate Japanese knotweed.
14.
Restrict the age of the occupants of the living units to those aged over
60 years or in the case of a couple that one of them was aged over 60 years and
the other was aged over 55 years.
Supporting documents: