DATE: 05/09/2011 PLANNING COMMITTEE DOLGELLAU DYDDIAD: 5/09/2011 PWYLLGOR CYNLLUNIO DATE : PLANNING COMMITTEE EITEM CAIS RHIF CYMUNED LLEOLIAD ITEM APPLICATION COMMUNITY LOCATION NUMBER 1 C11/0022/46/LL Tudweiliog Tir ger / Land Nr. - Fferm Plas, Llangwnnadl 2 C11/0089/39/LL Llanengan Llwyn Du, Lôn Sarn Bach, Abersoch 3 C11/0129/32/LL Botwnnog Rhan Cae A.O. / Part Field O.S. 4600, Crugeran, Sarn 4 C11/0306/18/AM Llanddeiniolen Tir gyferbyn a / Land Opposite Rhos Lan, Bethel 5 C11/0335/04/LL Llandderfel Berwyn Deg, Llandderfel, Bala 6 C11/0368/45/LL Pwllheli Tir yn / Land at Ysgubor Wen, Penrallt, Pwllheli 7 C11/0382/30/LL Aberdaron Maes Gwyn, Bodferin, Rhosirwaen 8 C11/0492/40/LL Llannor Tyn y Nant, Abererch, Pwllheli 9 C11/0498/45/R3 Pwllheli Hafan Marina, Glandon, Pwllheli DATE: 05/09/2011 PLANNING COMMITTEE DOLGELLAU Number 1 DATE: 05/09/2011 PLANNING COMMITTEE DOLGELLAU Number : 1 Application Number: C11/0022/46/LL Date Registered: 04/05/2011 Application Type: Full - Planning Community: Tudweiliog Ward: Tudweiliog Bwriad: ERECT NEW DWELLING AND GARAGE FOR AGRICULTURAL WORKER Lleoliad: LAND NR - FFERM PLAS , LLANGWNNADL , PWLLHELI , GWYNEDD , LL538NN Summary TO REFUSE of the Recommendation: Description: This is a proposal to erect a dwelling and garage for an agricultural worker. The house would be a four bedroom, two-storey dwelling. The first floor rooms would be located in the roof- space and the house would measure approximately 5.9 metres high and would have an internal floor surface area of approximately 195m 2. The site is located on a slope; therefore, it is intended to cut into the land in order to locate the house on the site. It is proposed to finish the external walls of the house in a combination of stone and render and the external walls of the garage would be rendered. It is proposed to cover the roof of the entire development in slate. The site is located in the countryside and within a Landscape Conservation Area. A class 3 county road is located to the north of the site. Stone farm-buildings are located on the opposite side of the road; however, the applicant does not own these buildings. Relevant Policies: Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and paragraph 2.1.2 of Planning Policy Wales emphasise that planning decisions should be in accordance with the Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Planning considerations include National Planning Policy and the Unitary Development Plan. Gwynedd Unitary Development Plan 2009: B10 – PROTECTING AND ENHANCING LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION AREAS – Protecting and enhancing Landscape Conservation Areas by ensuring that proposals conform to a series of criteria aimed at avoiding significant damage to recognised features. B22 – BUILDING DESIGN – Promote good building design by ensuring that proposals conform to a series of criteria aimed at protecting the recognised features and character of the local landscape and environment. B25 – BUILDING MATERIALS – Safeguard the visual character by ensuring that building materials are of high standard and in-keeping with the character and appearance of the local area. C1 – LOCATING NEW DEVELOPMENTS – Land within town and village boundaries and the developed form of rural villages will be the main focus for new developments. New buildings, structures and supplementary facilities in open countryside will be refused with the exception of a development which is permitted under another policy within the Plan. DATE: 05/09/2011 PLANNING COMMITTEE DOLGELLAU C7 – BUILDING IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER – Proposals for new developments or for adapting and changing the use of land or buildings will be refused unless consideration is given to specific environmental matters. Proposals must conform to specific criteria regarding sustainable buildings, unless it is not practical to do so. CH9 – NEW DWELLINGS IN OPEN COUNTRYSIDE – Refuse proposals for new dwellings in the countryside unless they are for individuals who must reside on the site due to their work and a number of other criteria relevant to the location and the type of dwelling, and restrictions on ownership of the dwelling. CH33 – SAFETY ON ROADS AND STREETS – Development proposals will be approved if they comply with specific criteria relating to the vehicular access, the standard of the existing roads network and traffic calming measures. CH36 – PRIVATE CAR PARKING FACILITIES – Proposals for new developments, extensions to existing developments or change of use will be refused unless off-street parking is provided in accordance with the Council’s current parking guidelines. Consideration will be given to the accessibility of public transport services, the possibility of walking or cycling from the site and the proximity of the site to a public car park. In circumstances where there is an assessed need for off-street parking and when the developer does not offer parking facilities on the site, or where it is not possible to take advantage of the existing parking provisions, the proposals will be approved provided the developer contributes to the cost of improving the accessibility of the site or providing the number of parking spaces on another nearby site. Supplementary Planning Guidance - Building new houses in the countryside (November 2009). National Policies: Planning Policy Wales (Edition 4, February 2011) – Chapter 9, Housing Technical Advice Note 6: Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities Technical Advice Note 12: Design Technical Advice Note 22: Sustainable Building Relevant Planning History: The site has no relevant planning history. Consultations: Community/Town Council: Supports, but includes a local person condition due to agricultural needs as it is easier to remove an agricultural condition than a local person condition. Transportation Unit: Not received Environment Agency: Not received Welsh Water: Observations state that a mains water pipe crosses the site. Policy Unit: Not received Public Consultation: A notice was placed on the site. The consultation period ended on 14 June but no observations were received. DATE: 05/09/2011 PLANNING COMMITTEE DOLGELLAU Additional Information: The application is submitted to the committee at the request of the Local Member. A satisfactory Design and Access Statement was submitted as part of the application. Also, details were received relating to the code for sustainable homes. The financial details of the farm were also submitted which showed that the farm is viable. The applicant also submitted a statement in support of the application and a letter was received from the FUW which presented the applicant’s case. Material Planning Considerations: The principle of having a house 1. The application site is located in the countryside. Policy C1 states that land within the development boundaries of towns and villages will be the main focus for new developments and that new supplementary buildings, structures and facilities will be refused in the countryside unless the development is approved by another policy in the Plan. The policy states further that development in connection with agriculture or forestry, including housing required for agriculture, forestry or another land-based rural industry workers, or individuals who provide an essential service to the agriculture or forestry sector in the County, who have to live at or close to the place of work are examples of the types of development that may be approved in the countryside. 2. From the information submitted with the application, it is understood that the applicant, his wife and their three children currently live in Abererch and that the applicant has been a lecturer of Agriculture in Coleg Glynllifon since 2004. Currently, the applicant is a partner in the agriculture business with his father and he assists on the farm in the evenings, at weekends and during the College holidays. The applicant’s father, mother and grandmother live in the existing farmhouse on the farm. It is understood that the applicant’s father is 64 years of age and that he intends to retire in February 2012; therefore, the business’ circumstances will change with the management of the business being transferred to the applicant in order to secure succession for the business. The financial details of the farm were also submitted which show that the farm is financially viable. It appears from the figures submitted in the FUW’s letter that the labour requirements of the unit is 1.42 and the intention, after the farm is transferred, would be for this to be realised by the applicant and one part-time worker. In terms of the functionality, it is understood from the FUW’s letter that the house is required in case the animals will require urgent care at short-notice, to deal with emergencies, to overcome the increasing problem of theft from farm holdings, to protect livestock from injury from intruders, and to care for sheep during the lambing season. 3. Policy CH9 of the GUDP is relevant when considering proposals to erect new dwellings in the countryside. This policy states that it must be shown that the dwelling is required to house a full time worker or one employed mainly in agriculture, forestry or other rural industry based on land use; or someone that makes a living through full time activity that provides an essential service to the agricultural or forestry sector within the county. Also, there would be a need to ensure that the person who needs the house must live on the site and that the house is essential in order to manage and run the unit’s current activities or an agricultural or forestry enterprise, or that the nature of the business means that it is required to live on such a site. To this end, there would be a need to show that the worker must be conveniently DATE: 05/09/2011 PLANNING COMMITTEE DOLGELLAU available at all times and consideration must also be given, in accordance with criterion 4 of the policy, as to whether or not a suitable house is located nearby that would be acceptable in relation to meeting this functional need.