GWYNEDD AND ANGLESEY JOINT LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2011-2026) BEAUMARIS TOWN COUNCIL COMMENTS ON DEPOSIT PLAN OUTLINE OF PROPOSED RESPONSE
The proposed responses are based on officers’ interpretation of: (i) the draft plan and (ii) town councillors’ desires for Beaumaris. The decision and responsibility for the response remains with the councillors. There may well be different views in the community as to the desirability of more housing developments in Beaumaris and also the implication that there should be more housing in the neighbouring areas of Llanfairpwll, Menai Bridge and Llandegfan which could lead to in filling between settlements
Proposed Response/Change Outline Justification
To increase the allocation of new housing in the Beaumaris is part of a larger developed area Beaumaris/Llanfaes area which includes Bangor, Llanfairpwll, Menai Bridge and Llandegfan. The housing allocation in Beaumaris should also meet the needs of Bangor which has been identified as the most important urban centre in the plan area.
Much of the expected growth on Anglesey has been allocated to Holyhead. Holyhead however has the highest level of approved units that are unlikely to be built. Housing development should be allocated to areas where development is likely to happen.
Beaumaris and the other Menai Strait communities serve as a residential area for the A55 corridor with commuters travelling to the Llandudno Junction area and further afield.
Apart from WylfaB and tourism development most anticipated economic development is likely to happen around Bangor and the mainland section of the A55 corridor not Anglesey. For example note the recent announcement of chicken processing job losses on Anglesey at the same time as a new unit is announced in the Wrexham area.
Lack of affordable housing has been identified as an issue in Beaumaris. The allocation of additional housing development to Beaumaris will help address the problem.
To increase the allocation of new housing in the The Bangor, Llanfairpwll, Menai Bridge, Llanfairpwll/ Menai Bridge/ Llandegfan area Llandegfan and Beaumaris area is in effect a small conurbation. The housing allocation in the area should also meet the needs of Bangor which has been identified as the most important urban centre in the plan area.
Much of the expected growth on Anglesey has been allocated to Holyhead. Holyhead however has the highest level of approved units that are unlikely to be built (600 approvals 4 in development and 268 unlikely to be developed). Housing development should be allocated to areas where development is likely to happen.
The Menai Strait communities serve as a residential area for the A55 corridor with commuters travelling to the Llandudno Junction area and further afield.
Apart from WylfaB and tourism development most anticipated economic development is likely to happen around Bangor and the mainland section of the A55 corridor not Anglesey. As an example consider the recent announcement of chicken processing job losses on Anglesey at the same time as a new unit is announced in the Wrexham area.
Extend the area of the retail core of Beaumaris The planners have overlooked the retail so as to include all the shops in Church Street units further up the street. (possibly as far as the Petshop at the corner of Rating Row). All retail units in Beaumaris need protection so that Beaumaris’s position as a local service centre/local retail centre is safeguarded
Councillors need to remember that any proposed change to the plan has to be objectively justified. Specific reasons have to be given as to why the planners’ decisions in drawing up the plan are not sound. The tests for soundness are set out in the Deposit Plan Written Statement. The Town Council’s response will count as just one response. A change in the plan is more likely if there are several supportive responses. Councillors may wish to publicise their response and invite residents to support it.
In addition our local county councillors will have an opportunity to vote on the proposals. Town Councillors may wish to engage them in the Town Council’s response.
BACKGROUND TO THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The plan once adopted will provide the starting point for when Anglesey County Council consider planning applications. In particular the plan sets out how ACC will provide for homes, jobs, the environment and infrastructure.
Getting the plan ‘right’ is important. Once adopted there is a presumption in favour of a planning application which complies with the policies set out in the plan and a presumption against any planning application that does not comply with the policies.
From the Town Council point of view key elements of the plan are:
Allocation of housing development to Beaumaris
Safeguarding of potential employment sites
Policies affecting retail units in town
OBSERVATIONS ON CURRENT VERSION OF THE DEPOSIT PLAN
The plan identifies a hierarchy of settlements and centres. Beaumaris has been identified as a local service centre and a local retail centre. Llanfaes has been identified as a village cluster. Allocation of development tends to favour higher levels in the hierarchy: Bangor, Llangefni, Holyhead, and Amlwch.
This means that larger developments will tend to happen in larger built up areas (arguably protecting small settlements from being swamped) and means that relatively little development (particularly housing) has been allocated to Beaumaris and Llanfaes:
Beaumaris: The plan anticipates 96 houses being built in Beaumaris by 2026. Of these 6 have been completed and 38 already have planning permission (mostly the Casita site).
Llanfaes: The plan facilitates 2 new affordable homes in Llanfaes by 2026 (in addition to any already approved).
In Beaumaris the 52 additional houses will be on suitable unallocated sites within the development boundary. New housing development will have to comply with a Local Market Housing Policy i.e.:
Occupancy restricted to local housing market or affordable housing
Size of units comply with the defined maximum for the type of unit proposed Adequate arrangements to restrict occupancy to people who conform to the relevant occupancy definition
Any development of more than 5 units has to provide at least 25% affordable units
In Llanfaes appears that only sites of 100% affordable housing will be permitted. The plan favours development of single units infilling between existing properties.
The Lairds site has not been identified as a safeguarded employment site. The planners consider that the site does not need to be allocated for housing as they feel that Beaumaris has the capacity to absorb the 52 units to be granted planning permission by 2026. It would appear that the following developments on the Lairds site would comply with the proposed plan:
Visitor attractions and facilities
Holiday accommodation
Employment units
Community facilities
Beaumaris has been identified as a local retail centre. This seems to imply that retail units in most of Castle Street and Church Street as far as Market Square will be protected against conversion.
In Beaumaris the Green and most of Happy Valley have been identified as protected open space or play areas. In Llanfaes the old play park and football pitch does not have this protection.
In the wider area the settlements of Llanfairpwll, Menai Bridge, and Llandegfan have been allocated an anticipated 71 housing units (in addition to those already given approval)
CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE RESPONSES
Councillors need to decide whether they are content with the plan as it stands or whether they wish to try to have it amended (and how it is to be amended).
The councillors have previously expressed views about local employment, affordable housing and the desirability of a healthy high street. The following comments might be compatible with those views:
Housing.
An increased allocation to Beaumaris (and Llanfaes) might result in more houses being built. Given councillors interest in affordable housing more development may help tackle the affordable housing problem and make it easier for families to stay in the area. Increased allocation to this area may make it more likely that the Lairds site is developed. However there is a risk that in a relatively small community a large amount of development could alter the character of the community.
Alternatively keeping the allocation as it is makes it less likely that there will be pressures for development outside the development boundary. However if more houses get converted to holiday lets there will be less scope to replace them with all-year residential properties. Employment.
The current allocation of the Lairds site could be accepted. By being available for a variety of uses the chance of a development might be increased.
The council could seek to have the site safeguarded for employment. This might restrict opportunities for future development. Given the number of currently empty employment sites elsewhere on the island it is unlikely that it would be attractive to an incoming employer.
The site’s current status in the plan does not preclude future use for employment.
Retail
The settlement map for Beaumaris is marked to show the current town centre. The shops higher up Church Street (between the Post Office/Margaret Street and the Church/Rating Row) are not included in this area. It is not clear what the implications of this are. However it is possible that this means that the retail units in this area will have less protection against change of use than those on the Castle Street. If true it would make a future objection to a proposed change of use (e.g. from retail to residential) harder.