DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses, At Land off Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates, Llanelli On Behalf of Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells Our Ref: 1114a Date: May 2020 Prepared by: Richard Banks 2 Llandeilo Road, Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, SA14 6NA Email: [email protected] Tel: 01269 400410 Web: www.evansbanks.com Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Evans Banks Planning has been instructed by Mrs L. Jones & Mr J. Howells in preparing an application for Outline Planning Permission for the “Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses” At Land off Heol Llanelli and Heol Danybanc, Pontyates, Llanelli. 1.2 This Design & Access Statement has been compiled under the provisions of Technical Advice Note (TAN) 12 “Design” (2014) and the Town & Country Planning (GDPO) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2009, No. 1024: Design and Access Statements: Wales. It has been prepared as part of the planning application and its contents should be read in conjunction with the submitted plans. It has been prepared on the basis of the nature and type of the above proposal, and the proposed scheme has been assessed against the following key areas, as well as the site’s context: • Character • Local Development Plan Policies • Environmental Sustainability • Movement to, from and within the development 1.3 This Design and Access Statement has been prepared following the guidance set out in Technical Advice Note 12: Design (2014). 2 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells 2.0 SITE ANALYSIS AND CONTEXT 2.1 SITE ANALYSIS 2.1.1 The application site forms an undeveloped field enclosure, set fronting the southern flank of the B4309 Heol Llanelli road at the eastern extremity of the village of Pontyates. The field as a frontage with the road of some 185 metres which is marked by a continuous hedgerow, and access gate to the northern side, close to where the field shares a boundary with No.110 Heol Llanelli. 2.1.2 The application site comprises of gently undulating to sloping former pasture, being roughly rectangular in shape, and extending back off the highway frontage by some 40 metres. Its eastern perimeter lies to the junction of Heol Llanelli with Heol Danybanc, an unclassified, mostly single-width road which extends south-eastwards from that junction with individual residential properties fronting its opposite, eastern flank. The western flank, being the perimeter with the application site, is undeveloped with mature hedgerow and solitary mature tree specimen. 2.1.3 The application field is part of a larger enclosure of some 12 acres in size, which itself adjoins open agricultural enclosures off its western and north-western flanks, as evidenced by a June 2018 Google Earth image reproduced below as Figure 1. The site is edged in red, with the above features identified, whilst Figure 2 below depicts an Ordnance Survey map extract of the site with proposed frontage housing proposed, being a mirror of frontage housing predominating off the opposite, norther flank of Heol Llanelli. 2.1.4 The site is graphically displayed in the following Photographs 1, 2, 3 and 4 below from both Heol Llanelli and Heol Danybanc. Application site Figure 1 – Google Earth image of application site 3 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells Figure 2 – Ordnance Survey map extract 4 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells Photo 1 – site viewed from eastern perimeter at Heol Danybanc Photo 2 – view along Heol Llanelli street frontage 5 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells Photo 3 – view towards site’s southern boundary with Heol Danybanc junction Photo 4 – view of entire site frontage illustrating semi-improved pasture set behind a linear frontage hedgerow 6 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells 3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 LOCAL PLANNING POLICY 3.1.1 The development plan in form for the purposes of Section 38(6) of the Planning & Compensation Act 2004 is the Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan, which was adopted in December 2014. The Proposals Map for this eastern part of Pontyates is reproduced below as Figure 3 and illustrates the setting of the settlement limits about Heol Llanelli and Heol Danybanc. Figure 3 – LDP Proposals Map Extract for eastern Pontyates 3.1.2 The application site is located within the defined settlement limits of Pontyates, with the entire field site specifically allocated for Residential Development, being Site T3/5/h8, and capable, according to the indicative figures provided under Policy H1, of providing a total of 100 units. 3.1.3 Policy GP1 of the LDP promotes development proposals which should be compatible with their surroundings in terms of scale, height, massing, and the general topography of the locality. Proposals must not adversely affect local amenity in terms of visual impact, loss of light or privacy, disturbance and traffic movement. The Policy requires the siting of new proposals for development to have regard to the physical character and topography of the site and surroundings. Particularly being seen to integrate with the landscape, conserve and utilise existing boundary features, and, having full regard to adjoining developments. This Policy also in particular 7 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells advocates that proposals must not adversely affect local amenity in terms of visual impact, loss of light or privacy, disturbance and traffic movement. 3.1.4 Policy TR3 requires all new development to have regard to allowing access and facilities for all; provide satisfactory car parking, and; be accessible to cyclists, pedestrians and users of public transport. The subject site has a long frontage with Heol Llanelli in which is proposed to create five paired access points, with the roadside hedgerow set back / translocated to allow for a new pavement / footway to that flank of the B4309, which in turn will provide sufficient horizontal visibility in both directions for emerging vehicles, and other road users travelling along Heol Llanelli 3.1.5 Policy AH1 requires for residential proposals of over 5 units to make on-site provision for Affordable Housing. Within the Gwendraeth Sub-Market Area, the target for affordable housing is set at 20%. Two affordable dwellings are designated within the 10 houses proposed under this application. 8 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells 4.0 DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS 4.1 DESIGN CONCEPT 4.1.1 This application seeks approval of the principle of residential development across the field frontage only with 8 detached and a pair of semi-detached houses proposed, all orientated to front the Heol Llanelli carriageway, as shown in the proposed site layout plan reproduced as Figure 4. Figure 4 – proposed site layout 4.1.2 The proposed layout provides for all properties to be sufficiently set back from the translocated hedgerow to allow for vehicular turning areas to be formed within front curtilages. Traditional rear garden space will be formed as shown to a newly laid hedgerow to form a new rear boundary across the entire frontage site. This form of residential development is very much complementary to the established and recent individual dwellings off the opposite, northern flank of Heol Llanelli, as evidenced on the above layout plan. 9 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells 4.1.3 The above scheme has focussed on providing a variety in terms of footprint sizes to enable prospective plot buyers to have a degree of flexibility when compiling and submitting individual designs on specific plots. The potential house types are described below within the Scale section of this Statement. 4.2 SCALE 4.2.1 The submitted site layout provides details primarily of a range of detached house types across the site. The proposed units are set over differing footprints but are accommodated within respective plot dimensions and have informed the site layout. This is coupled with ensuring respect is paid to the Council’s general spatial layout standards relating to serviced dwellinghouses and habitable distances not just to adjoining residential properties, but the inter-relationship between new properties within the site itself. 4.2.2 The result is a complementary layout to established residential development in frontage form off the northern, opposite side of Heol Llanelli Scale parameters are provided for both detached house types and the pair of semi- detached houses at Plots 9 and 10 aimed at satisfying Affordable Housing requirements. The scale parameters are as such, with a Schedule of Accommodation provided as an indication of potential floorspaces, but which are nevertheless all indicative – 10 Siting of 10no. Dwellinghouses May 2020 At Land of Heol Llanelli & Heol Danybanc, Pontyates Mrs L. Jones & Mr. J. Howells 4.3 LAYOUT OF DEVELOPMENT 4.3.1 The proposals as displayed within the submitted site layout illustrate a complementary frontage of new development to mirror that off the opposite flank of Heol Llanelli. The proposal aims to maximise the available site area with proposed detached four- bedroomed houses, with a pair of three semi-detached dwellinghouses orientated to front the B road, and equipped with sufficient off-road car parking, sited in side curtilages, and detached or attached garaging.