PREFACE ITEM APPLICATION NUMBER: Consultation by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council. PROPOSAL: Construction Wind Farm comprising 24 turbines. LOCATION: Mynydd James/Coity Mountain above Blaina, Blaenau Gwent. A consultation has been received from Blaenau Gwent Borough Council about a wind farm consisting of 24 turbines on land to the east of Blaina and Nantyglo on the edges of Mynydd James and Coity Mountain. Each turbine will consist of a 62 m high tubular steel tower, attached to which will be a three bladed motor with a radius of 31metres, giving each structure a maximum height of 93 metres. An access track from Cwmtillery will be provided for construction and maintenance purposes. The wind farm will operate for 25 years and provide enough electricity for 20,000 homes. An environmental statement has been submitted in support of the application, and forwarded to Caerphilly County Borough Council for the purposes of consultation. The proposal is at the opposite end of Blaenau Gwent Borough, adjacent to the boundary with Torfaen Borough. Therefore, the impact on this borough from a planning point of view will be minimal. Issues that would normally be considered by this Local Planning Authority if the application involved land within or adjacent to this borough would include impact on the landscape, nature conservation impact, noise, hours of operation, effects on agriculture, the visual impact of the turbines, safety of the users of adjacent highways, electromagnetic interference, shadow flicker and reflected light. The nearest turbine to Caerphilly Borough would be approximately 4.2km from the boundary, with the Ebbw Fach and Ebbw Valleys in between. As a result there will be no adverse impact on any of the matters mentioned above insofar as they relate to this borough. The only issue that requires some further consideration is visual impact on the landscape. It will be possible to see the turbines from many of the highest points within Caerphilly Borough, but at such a distance that they will not harm those areas designated as special landscape areas within the Deposit Caerphilly County Borough Unitary Development Plan. The concern from a planning point of view is to limit inter visibility i.e. to ensure that the number of wind farms visible from any point is kept to a minimum. At present, this problem would not occur if the current proposal is developed. RECOMMENDATION that Blaenau Gwent Borough Council is informed that no objections are raised to the proposed wind farm. PREFACE ITEM APPLICATION NUMBER: P/02/0514 APPLICANT(S) NAME: Grantchester Properties PROPOSAL: Amendment to Condition 1 on planning permission P/02/0514 relating to the substitution of approved drawings for Unit 9. LOCATION: The former Oldway Commercial Estate, Swansea Road, Merthyr Tydfil. Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has consulted this Council about an application to amend a planning permission granted for a new retail development on part of the former Oldway Commercial Estate in Merthyr Tydfil. This Council was consulted on the original application and raised no objection. The original planning permission provided for a large 100,000 sq. ft. DIY Warehouse on the site. However, this has been reviewed by the Developer who now considers that the optimum size store is 65,000 sq. ft. Consequently, an amendment is sought to subdivide the original 100,000 sq.ft. unit to provide four units, one of 65,000 sq.ft., one of 15,000 sq.ft. and two of 10,000 sq.ft. There is no fundamental change to the scheme such that it will have an impact in respect of the original transportation assessment. In terms of the layout of the car park, the changes would enable more disabled and parent and child parking to be provided. The view that there were no planning objections to the original proposal in terms of its impact on the retail strategy for this Borough remains the same for the proposed alterations in that the amount of retail floor-space remain the same. RECOMMENDATION that Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council be informed that this Council has no objection to the proposal. PREFACE ITEM APPLICATION NUMBER: P/03/0939 APPLICANT(S) NAME: Wilson Connolly Homes. PROPOSAL: Erect Double Garage. LOCATION: Plot 9, Parc Sirhowy, Highfields, Blackwood. This application was first presented to Committee on the 10th September 2003 when it was deferred for further information that was in turn presented to the Committee on 12th November 2003. Copies of the original reports are attached as an appendicies. At that meeting Members resolved to return the matter to officers to draft reasons for refusal on the grounds that the development is overbearing and detrimental to the amenity of the adjoining residents. If Members are of a mind to refuse the application, the following reason is offered: “The development by virtue of its size and location has an overbearing effect upon the dwellings at 35 and 37 Apollo Way to the unreasonable detriment of the amenity enjoyed by the occupants of those dwellings”. PREFACE ITEM APPLICATION NUMBER: P/03/1266 APPLICANT(S) NAME: Mr. J. Davies. PROPOSAL: Change of use from dental surgery to domestic residence. LOCATION: 27 Gilfach Street, Bargoed. This application was reported to the Planning Committee on the 22nd October 2003, when it was deferred for further information in relation to the adequacy of dental provision in the locality. A copy of the original report is attached as an appendix. The Caerphilly Health Board have been contacted and have confirmed that the practice ceased in June 2002, and they would have expected most patients to have registered with other dental practices, of which there are three separate ones in Bargoed. The Primary Care, Planning and Development Section of the Health Board are unaware of any complaints being received with regard to this issue. It is not considered that there are any justifiable grounds to refuse planning permission, the practitioner having retired, and there being three other practices available in the Bargoed area, the original report is attached as an annexe to this item, with the original recommendation to approve. RECOMMENDATION that Permission be GRANTED. This permission is subject to the following conditions:- (1) The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of five years from the date of this permission. (2) The external materials to be used in the external changes to the front elevation shall be submitted to and agreed with the Local Planning Authority before the works are carried out. The reasons for the Council’s decision are:- (1) To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. (2) In the interests of visual amenity. Code No. and Name and Address of Applicant Description and location of date received proposed development P/03/1381 Ms. A. Osbourne, Erect two storey side extension 13/10/03 12 Tenby Court, (resubmission of App. No. Hendredenny, P/03/0044) at 12 Tenby Court, Caerphilly. Hendredenny, Caerphilly. APPLICATION TYPE: FULL APPLICATION SITE AND DEVELOPMENT This application is a re-submission for a two-storey side extension to a semidetached dormer bungalow. The extension takes the dwelling up to the side boundary and part of it extends into the rear garden. The ground floor provides a garage to the front and kitchen to the rear. The first floor is a bedroom. The application building is one of a row of similar properties. The applicant was previously invited to consider a design that resulted in an extension that would be subservient to the existing house. That invitation was declined and the previous application was refused for the following reasons:- 1. The close proximity of proposed extension to the boundary of the property creates visual terracing to the detriment of the character of the street scene that is comprised of semidetached dormer bungalows and two storey semidetached dwellings that are separated by drives and/or garages. 2. The design of the extension extends one side of a pair of semidetached dwellings detracting from the character of the pair by virtue of the visual imbalance created, contrary to approved Rhymney Valley District Local Plan Policy BE8. The re-submitted details are the same as those refused except for a covering letter that seeks to justify the development. With regard to reason (1) it is explained that the application dwelling is of a different and contrasting design to the adjacent dwelling. Attention is also drawn to the fact that the published Council design guidance requires setting back which is not considered necessary because of the change in design. With regard to reason (2) it is not accepted that there is visual imbalance that would detract from the character of the dwellings and it is pointed out that small side extensions and porches can result in imbalance. PLANNING HISTORY Reference No. Description Decision Date P/96/0858 Erect porch Approved 07/02/97 P/03/0044 Erect extension Refused 05/03/03 POLICY Approved Rhymney Valley District Local Plan Policy BE8 states: - Cont………. Application No. P/03/1381 Continued. “Proposals for alterations, and extensions to residential properties will be permitted where: - a) The scale, size proportion, design and materials of the extension, or alteration respect and do not detract from the building and its setting including the adjoining buildings. b) The resulting extension does not result in over development of the whole plot and sufficient amenity spaces remains. c) Deposit Caerphilly County Borough Unitary Development Plan Design Guide No 2.” Policy DC1 (standard development control criteria) of the Deposit Caerphilly County Borough Unitary Development Plan and Development Design Guidance No.2: Householders Developments, should also be taken into account. CONSULTATION Chief Engineer (Highways) has raised no objection to the application subject to conditions requiring the provision and maintenance of a minimum of three off-street parking spaces.