Outline application for the erection of 18 residential units (including 4 affordable units) together with the formation of new vehicular access, internal estate road and pedestrian footpath (revised plan to that approved on appeal: Ref C13/0766/13/LL – Appeal APP/Q6810/A14/2215839
Local Member:
Councillor Ann Williams
Link to relevant background papers
Minutes:
Outline application for the erection of 18 dwellings (including 4 affordable units) along with
a new vehicular access, inner estate
road and footpath (amended plan from that which
was permitted on appeal ref C13/0766/13/LL - Appeal
APP/Q6810/A/14/2215839).
(a)
It was reported that late letters had been received
attempting to justify the development
The Senior Planning
Control Officer expanded upon the background to the application reminding members that this
was a site where an application for a residential development to construct 24 residential units (including 16 affordable units) had previously been refused and
subsequently approved as a result of a Planning Inspector’s decision at Appeal. A more recent proposal was submitted with a variation to the plan so that the total number of units was brought down from 24 to 18 and 11 of the houses allowed being affordable
houses. It was highlighted that the existing application was an outline application
for 18 dwellings, but that the number
of affordable houses had fallen from 11 to four.
It was explained that the site was partly located within the development boundary of Bethesda which was designated as a Local Centre in the Gwynedd Unitary Development Plan. It was reiterated that, historically, the site had been used
as a garage / lorry depot. It
was noted that this use had now
ended and the site cleared of any buildings which
had stood there in the past. This site was considered to be previously developed land and was therefore
defined as a Brownfield site.
The substantial need for affordable houses in the
area was reiterated and that it was difficult to accept that this had not been
addressed in the amended application
Attention
was drawn to the additional observations
that had been received
(b)
Taking advantage of the
right to speak, the applicant’s agent noted the following main points:-
·
that it was a residential development for 18 open
market houses and four affordable houses
·
the application
had been approved following a valid appeal
·
accepted that the site was
outside the development boundary.
·
justification that
this land had been previously developed (brownfield) and as such
approval had been addressed for the whole site
·
that Gwynedd Council
lacked a five-year supply of land
·
in accordance with planning guidance
- the affordable houses had
been integrated with open market
houses
·
sufficient justification
for the proposed application
(c)
Proposed to approve
the application contrary to
recommendation. The propossal
fell.
(ch) It was proposed and seconded
to refuse the application in accordance with
the recommendation.
(d)
A request
was made of the Senior Manager
to respond to the agent's observations.
The Senior Manager
stated that further evidence would be required before the application could be fully considered - why justify open market
houses outside the local development boundary? It was highlighted that there were fundamental
issues for rejecting the application i) the principle of the application, ii) policies do not allow for developments
outside the development boundary and iii)
strong evidence suggests that there
is a profound need for affordable houses in Bethesda. It was noted that
there was permission for 11 affordable houses, why reduce
this to 4.
(e)
During the subsequent discussion the following main
points were noted:
·
that extraordinary
reasons were needed to develop outside the boundary - the proposal was not reasonable and appeared to be worse than the application that already existed
RESOLVED
to refuse the application
Reason
The part of the proposal that means developing
houses for the open market outside the development boundary for the Bethesda
Local Centre is not acceptable because developing open market houses outside
the designated development boundaries is contrary to the adopted local and
national policies including policies, furthermore, this development would
lessen the supply of affordable houses that have been permitted and strong
evidence exists of the need for affordable houses in the area and which has
been proved on appeal. This development would therefore be contrary to policies
C1, C3 and CH7 of the Gwynedd Unitary Development Plan as well as the
Supplementary Planning Guidance: Building New Houses in the Countryside,
Planning Policy Wales Chapter 9 (Edition 8, 2016) together with Technical
Advice Note 6: Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities (2010).
Supporting documents: