24-home housing scheme at Land Off Caernarfon Road, Pwllheli

What was proposed

An outline application proposed residential houses and access, with an indicative layout for 24 homes; detailed layout, appearance, scale and landscaping were reserved.

“This application has been submitted in the form of an outline planning application and, therefore, all the details of the development in terms of detailed plans to show the appearance/design and landscaping have not been included as would be the norm with a full application.”

“However, an indicative site plan was submitted for a residential development of 24 houses. The layout plan submitted is indicative only and the application does not seek permission for the number, mix or type of dwelling houses. These details will be the subject of a reserved details plan should outline permission be granted.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site was open fields within Pwllheli’s development boundary and a housing allocation, beside the A499 and near the Aldi supermarket.

“The site is currently open fields. The application site is located off Caernarfon Road (A499), namely one of the main roads leading into and out of Pwllheli. The site is within the development boundary of Pwllheli, and forms part of the site designated for housing (T28) in the LDP. It also lies within the Llŷn and Ynys Enlli Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest. There are some dwellings in the vicinity.”

Officer report

Earlier decisions and changes

The application was previously refused against officer advice over affordable housing, housing mix and Welsh language impacts, then amended to include 30% affordable housing.

“Lack of affordable housing • Lack of information about the housing mix / balance • The detrimental impact on the Welsh language…”

“In accordance with the instruction of the Assistant Head, Environment Department, as there was a significant risk to the Council in respect of the Planning Committee's intention to refuse the application contrary to officers' recommendation, the application was therefore referred to a cooling off period. However, by now the application has been amended to include 30% of affordable homes within the development.”

Officer report

Affordable housing and language

The amended proposal provided 30% affordable housing, permanent C3 homes, and Welsh naming and bilingual signage, which officers considered acceptable.

“Therefore, based on indicative details submitted as part of the outline application, the viability of providing affordable housing remains very difficult. However, the application has now been amended to include 30% of affordable housing, which is 7.2 units.”

“Linguistic and Community Matters 5.10 In terms of the impact on the Welsh language it is noted in the comments from the Policy Unit that there is no need for a Language Statement under criterion 1b of Policy PS 1.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent supported the amended affordable housing proposal, and the Local Member urged acceptance while seeking housing that responded to community needs.

What members discussed

Members welcomed the development and affordable housing condition, although one view was that more homes would not help while many properties were for sale.

“Welcomed the development • Welcomed the affordable housing condition…”

“In response to a question regarding why a 106 condition had not been included in the conditions list, it was noted that that needed to be agreed: should a Housing Association be responsible for the development, they could discharge the condition, but should a private developer be responsible, a 106 condition would have to be implemented before discharging the condition.”

Minutes

The committee decision

The committee resolved to delegate approval, subject to archaeological observations and conditions covering housing use, highways, drainage, ecology, noise and affordable housing.

“RESOLVED: To delegate powers to the Head of Environment Department to approve the application, subject to receiving the observations of the Gwynedd Archaeological Planning Service and to conditions.”

“External lighting scheme 20. Submission and agreement of a Management Plan for the woodland 21. A condition to complete landscaping work as agreed in the landscaping details. In accordance with the Arboriculture Report 23. Welsh Water condition to undertake a hydraulic modelling assessment prior to the commencement of the development 24. No surface water / land drainage to connect with the public sewer 25.”

Minutes