7 - Ty Cegin, Rhodfa Penrhyn, Maesgeirchen › Data › Planning...2015/01/12 · REPORT OF THE SENIOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGER CAERNARFON 5.3 General and residential amenities

PLANNING COMMITTEE DATE: 12/01/2015

REPORT OF THE SENIOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGER CAERNARFON

Number: 7



Application Number: C14/1042/11/LLDate Registered: 06/11/2014Application Type: Full - PlanningCommunity: BangorWard: Marchog

Proposal: CONSTRUCT FIVE HOUSES TO INCLUDE TWO SEMI-DETACHED HOUSES AND

THREE TERRACED HOUSES AND CREATE A NEW VEHICULAR ACCESS

Location: TŶ CEGIN, RHODFA PENRHYN, MAESGEIRCHEN, BANGOR, GWYNEDD, LL571LR

Summary of theRecommendation:

TO DELEGATE POWERS TO APPROVE

1. Description:

1.1 This is a full application to construct five new two-storey houses to include two semi-detached houses and a block of three terraced houses with turning spaces in front ofthe houses together with a new vehicular access.

1.2 The site is located within the development boundaries of the city of Bangor that isdefined as a sub-regional centre in the Gwynedd Unitary Development Plan. The siteis within the expansive Maesgeirchen estate on the outskirts of the city and directlynearby to Tŷ Cegin Community Centre and other community buildings. The site is currently vacant and is used in connection with Tŷ Cegin. The highway which runs through the centre of the estate is located to the front of the site.

1.3 The plans show an internal arrangement that would include a lounge, kitchen/diningroom and a toilet on the ground floor and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the firstfloor. Outside, there will be gardens to the front with a parking space and gardens ofvarious sizes to the rear along with a small shed. It is proposed to erect a timber fencealong the boundaries of the gardens between the houses. The external finish of thehouses would be a combination of smooth render and brick with UPVC doors andwindows and a slate roof.

1.4 In addition to the houses, the proposal also means providing a new vehicular accessand access road for the houses with a turning space at the far end.

1.5 The following information has been submitted with the application:

• Design and Access Statement• Community and Language Impact Statement

1.6 The application is submitted to committee as the size of the proposed development isgreater than that which can be dealt with under the delegated procedure.

2. Relevant Policies:

2.1 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and paragraph2.1.2 of Planning Policy Wales emphasise that planning decisions should be inaccordance with the Development Plan, unless material planning considerationsindicate otherwise. Planning considerations include National Planning Policy and theUnitary Development Plan.



2.2 Gwynedd Unitary Development Plan 2009:

POLICY A1 – ENVIRONMENTAL OR OTHER IMPACT ASSESSMENTS - Ensure thatsufficient information is provided with the planning application regarding any significantlikely environmental or other impacts in the form of an environmental impact assessment orother impact assessments.

POLICY A2 – PROTECT THE SOCIAL, LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL FABRIC OFCOMMUNITIES - Safeguard the social, linguistic or cultural cohesion of communitiesagainst significant harm due to the size, scale or location of proposals.

POLICY B11 – OPEN SPACES BETWEEN OR WITHIN VILLAGES AND TOWNSEnsures that proposals that cause significant harm to the function or importance of openspaces between villages/towns or open spaces within towns or villages which are important totheir character are refused.

POLICY B22 – BUILDING DESIGN - Promote good building design by ensuring thatproposals conform to a series of criteria aimed at protecting the recognised features andcharacter of the local landscape and environment.

POLICY B23 – AMENITIES - Safeguard the amenities of the local neighbourhood byensuring that proposals conform to a series of criteria aimed at safeguarding the recognisedfeatures and amenities of the local area.

POLICY B25 – BUILDING MATERIALS - Safeguard the visual character by ensuring thatbuilding materials are of a high standard and are in keeping with the character and appearanceof the local area.

POLICY C1 - LOCATING NEW DEVELOPMENT – Land within town and villagedevelopment boundaries and the developed form of rural villages will be the main focus fornew developments. New buildings, structures and ancillary facilities in the countryside willbe refused with the exception of a development that is permitted by another policy of thePlan.

POLICY CH3 - NEW HOUSES ON UNALLOCATED SITES WITHIN THEDEVELOPMENT BOUNDARIES OF THE SUB-REGIONAL CENTRE AND URBANCENTRES – Approve the construction of houses on appropriate unallocated sites within thedevelopment boundaries of the Sub-regional Centre and the Urban Centres.

POLICY CH6 – AFFORDABLE DWELLINGS ON EACH DESIGNATED SITE IN THEPLAN AREA AND ON UNDESIGNATED SITES THAT BECOME AVAILABLEWITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARIES OF THE SUB-REGIONAL CENTREAND THE URBAN CENTRES – Approve proposals to develop housing on sites that havebeen designated for housing or ad hoc sites for five units or more within the developmentboundaries of the sub-regional centre and the urban centres that provide a suitable element ofaffordable housing.

POLICY CH30 – ACCESS FOR ALL – Refuse proposals for residential/business/industrialunits or buildings/facilities for public use unless it can be shown that full consideration hasbeen given to the provision of appropriate access for the widest possible range of individuals.

POLICY CH33 – SAFETY ON ROADS AND STREETS - Development proposals will beapproved provided they conform to specific criteria relating to the vehicular entrance, thestandard of the existing roads network and traffic calming measures.



POLICY CH36 – PRIVATE CAR PARKING FACILITIES - Proposals for newdevelopments, extension of existing developments or change of use will be refused unless off-street parking is provided in accordance with the Council’s current parking guidelines andhaving given due consideration to the accessibility of public transport, the possibility ofwalking or cycling from the site and the proximity of the site to a public car park.

In addition to GUDP policies, full consideration is given to the Authority’s adoptedSupplementary Planning Guidance (SPG), which are material and relevant considerations.The following are considered to be relevant in this case:

Affordable housing Planning and the Welsh Language Housing developments and open spaces of recreational value

2.3 National Policies:

Planning Policy Wales – edition 7, 2014

Technical Advice Notes (TAN)

- TAN 2: Planning and Affordable Housing- TAN 12: Design- TAN 20: Planning and the Welsh Language

3. Relevant Planning History:

3.1 C01A/0238/11/R4 – Demolish the existing flats and construct a healthy living centrealong with a car park – approved – 06.06.2001.

3.2 C05A/0670/11/R4 – Erect a mast for an Amateur Radio Club – APPROVED –02.11.2005.

4. Consultations:

Community/Town Council: No objection

Transportation Unit: The amended plan submitted has confirmed the relocation of thetraffic calming tortoise. It has not been located appropriately but itcould be agreed under an application for street works rather than aplanning application.

Natural Resources Wales: No objection - standard advice

Welsh Water: No response

Biodiversity Unit:

Strategic Housing Unit:

No observations to offer

We have identified this development within our smaller unitsgrant programme. The provision will enable families affectedby changes to the welfare benefits to have the option ofmoving to smaller properties following the effect of the‘bedroom tax' and thus release stock to those needing moresuitable properties in the area.



Public Consultation: A notice was posted on site and neighbouring residents werenotified. The consultation period has come to an end and nocorrespondence has been received objecting to the proposal.

5. Assessment of the material planning considerations:

5.1 The principle of the development

5.1.1 The proposed development site is located within the development boundaries of thecity of Bangor and, therefore, it is in keeping with the general requirements of policyC1 which encourages development within development boundaries,

5.1.2 Policy B11 of the Unitary Development Plan deals with open spaces between orwithin villages and towns. The policy refers mainly to open spaces that have beendesignated and shown on the inset maps of the UDP but this site has not beendesignated. However, the policy also refers to other spaces that emerge that satisfyone or more of the criteria. It is not considered that the site is of any ecological valueor adds visual variety to local residents. The site is located in a housing estate in thecity of Bangor and, therefore, the site does not create a gap or a physical contributionbetween dwellings. The plot is used occasionally by the users of Canolfan Tŷ Cegin for outdoor activities (such as stalls etc.), but there are open green spaces on the otherside of the building and across the road, along with specific sites that have beendesignated that could be used instead of this area. Therefore, it is considered that theproposal complies with the requirements of policy B11 and the SupplementaryPlanning Guidelines: Housing Developments and Open Spaces of RecreationalValue.

5.1.3 Relevant reports and assessments were submitted as is required in accordance withcurrent regulations and the requirements of policies A1 and A2 of the GUDP.

5.1.4 Based on the above, it is believed that the proposal is in accordance with the policiesnoted above and is acceptable in principle, subject to consideration and fullassessment of all other material planning matters, including the observations receivedand compliance with the requirements of other relevant policies.

5.2 Visual amenities

5.2.1 The current site is an open green space with seating equipment and a bin. However, itis a site that is within a densely built up area including a number of residential housesof various appearances and sizes / forms as well as various community buildings.

5.2.2 This proposal would involve a fairly traditional development in terms of form andlay-out with gardens to the front and rear. There are various housing patterns in theadjoining area, including blocks of flats and a variety of houses. There are housesbacking onto this site in the form of a semi-circle. There is no uniform pattern to thehouses in the nearby area and therefore it is not considered that there is a need toconvey one specific appearance.

5.2.3 This proposal is believed to be acceptable in terms of visual amenities, consideringthe current condition of the site and the proposed size, form and appearance of theproposed houses. It is therefore believed that the proposal satisfies the requirementsof policies B22, B23 and B25.



5.3 General and residential amenities

5.3.1 As is expected within an area that had already been densely developed to this extent,residential houses surrounds the whole site. The existing houses located to the rear ofthe proposed development include long gardens. This means that there is a distance ofapproximately 22 metres between the backs of the proposed houses and the nearestparts of the existing houses.

5.3.2 There is a road to the front of the site with public buildings on the other side of theroad and the Tŷ Cegin building will be behind the terrace of three houses with a distance of approximately 10m between the buildings, however, it is not believed thatthese houses will have a detrimental effect on the centre.

5.3.3 It is believed that there would be sufficient distance between the proposed houses andthe existing houses/buildings and therefore it is not believed that the developmentwould have an excessive detrimental effect on existing residents’ residentialamenities or on the area’s general amenities. It is therefore considered that theproposal is acceptable and satisfies the requirements of policy B23.

5.4 Transport and access matters

5.4.1 The plans show that it is proposed to create a new access to the site and consequentlythere is a need to move the traffic calming tortoise that is located on the highway andoutside the application site. The Transportation Unit is satisfied with the location ofthe entrance but not with the proposed location of the traffic calming tortoise. It hasbeen confirmed that it will be possible to relocate the tortoise and make it moresuitable but this will not be agreed via the planning process as it is a street workspermission that will be required.

5.4.2 There is no objection to the proposal or to the entrance that is the subject of theapplication and, therefore, the proposal satisfies the requirements of policies CH30,CH33 and CH36.

5.5 Language Matters

5.5.1 A linguistic statement was received with the application. The proposal is forproviding dwelling houses of a reasonable size within the development boundary. Itis also proposed to provide more rented housing locally, offering a variety of the typeof housing available including two-storey houses. Therefore, it is not anticipated thatthe proposal would have a significant impact on the Welsh language and thecommunity and that it would be acceptable in respect of Policy A2 of the GUDP.

5.6 Section 106 agreement matters

5.6.1 The requirements of Policies CH3 and CH6 state that a percentage of units on eachsite of five or more houses (that have not been designated but are within developmentboundaries) must be affordable to meet general local need for affordable housing.

5.6.2 However, taking into consideration that the applicants are preparing new rented socialhousing for local residents under their statutory responsibilities, the view in thisparticular case is that the planning application can be dealt with as an exception tothese policies. The affordability of these houses is controlled and reflected in the sizeand design of the houses and therefore in accordance with the guidelines included inthe Supplementary Planning Guidance: Affordable Housing (November 2009).



5.6.3 Also, it can be seen in the Strategic Housing Unit’s observations that the developmentprovides houses of a smaller size and, therefore, bearing in mind the amendmentsmade to housing benefits, it provides options for smaller families or individuals tomove to smaller houses such as these, thus releasing larger houses to satisfy the localneed.

6. Conclusions:

6.1 This site is located within the development boundaries of the city of Bangor as notedin the GUDP. It is considered a site that is suitable for development and the proposalis considered acceptable in terms of satisfying the local need for housing.

6.2 Considering the above and having given due consideration to all relevant planningmatters, it is believed that the proposal is acceptable and after receipt of confirmationregarding the access arrangements to the site, it is believed that the proposal satisfiesthe requirements of the relevant policies as noted above.

7. Recommendation:

7.1 To delegate the power to the Senior Planning Manger to approve the applicationsubject to receipt of further plans from the applicant and confirmation from theTransportation Unit that the new access is acceptable.

Conditions -

1. Time2. Comply with plans3. Slate4. Materials5. Landscaping6. Removal of permitted development rights7. Highways

Documents

7 - Ty Cegin, Rhodfa Penrhyn, Maesgeirchen › Data › Planning...2015/01/12 · REPORT OF THE SENIOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGER CAERNARFON 5.3 General and residential amenities