MERTHYR TYDFIL COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL DATE WRITTEN 10th January 2007 REPORT AUTHOR Norman Davies COMMITTEE Planning and Regulatory COMMITTEE DATE 17th January 2007 To: Chairman and Members of the Planning and Regulatory Committee to be held on Wednesday, 17th January 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Report of the Director of Customer Corporate Services on applications received for determination and recommendation under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and Planning and Compensation Act 1991. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIST OF CONTENTS 1. Planning Applications for Committee Determination. THE DURATION OF PLANNING PERMISSIONS In addition to those conditions specifically noted on the reports contained within this Committee Agenda, all decision notices issued (unless expressly noted as being an exception to this practice) will include a condition relating to the duration of the permission. These conditions are expressly imposed in accordance with Sections 91 and 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. All applications will be granted subject to a standard condition which requires that the development approved must commence within five years of the date of the permission (unless the Local Planning Authority stipulates an alternative time period). Outline planning permissions will be issued subject to a condition requiring “reserved matters” to be submitted within three years of the date of the outline permission. Works in relation to the development must commence within five years of the initial outline consent, or if later, the expiration of two years from the final approval of the “reserved matters” or, in the case of approval on different dates, the final approval of the last such matter to be approved. PLEASE NOTE: All related planning application documents are available for inspection within the Town Planning Division, at Ground Floor, Ty Keir Hardie, during normal office hours. 1. PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR COMMITTEE DETERMINATION Application Location Proposed Development No. P/06/0412 Land At 13 Cardiff Road And 1 Erection of two buildings comprising 16 To 3 Perrott Street Treharris flats P/06/0447 Land To The South Of Heol Residential development Isaf, Ael-Y-Bryn And Bron Deg And To The West Of Maen Ganol Trelewis P/06/0475 Land And Buildings At Junction Re-cladding of existing buildings. Of Chestnut Way And Poplar Erection of extensions, new roof, Way, Gurnos (Gurnos Shops) external stairwell and rear compounds to Merthyr Tydfil buildings. Conversion of existing flats to office accommodation. Conversion of existing shop to office. Creation of new car parks P/06/0595 35 Sweetwater Park Trefechan Retention of decking and erection of Merthyr Tydfil CF48 2LF garden shed P/06/0599 163 High Street Cefn Coed Erection of two storey and first floor rear Merthyr Tydfil CF48 2PH extension P/06/0608 Former Council Depot Fell Erection of 2 No. detached dwellings and Street Treharris 4 No semi detached dwellings P/06/0612 24 Calluna Close Dowlais Conversion of garage to living Merthyr Tydfil CF48 3HF accommodation, and erection of single storey and first floor extension to front of property P/06/0617 Land At Brynffynon Captains Erection of 4 houses Hill Treharris Merthyr Tydfil P/06/0633 Leisure Centre And Erection of new building comprising ten Surrounding Land Rhydycar pin bowling suite, 9 screen cinema and Merthyr Tydfil restaurant, and associated car parking and site infrastructure P/06/0649 Brecon Road Infant School Erection of single storey extension Norman Terrace Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8SD Application No. Date Determining Authority P/06/0412 7th August 2006 MTCBC Proposed Development Location Name & Address of Applicant/Agent Erection of two buildings Land At 13 Cardiff Road Merthyr Tydfil Housing comprising 16 flats And 1 To 3 Perrott Street Association Ltd Treharris c/o CFW Architects Ltd 6 North Road Cardiff CF10 3DU APPLICATION DETAILS/SITE APPRAISAL The application is detailed for the erection of two buildings comprising 16 flats. The development is located at the junction of Cardiff Road and Perrott Street and occupies a prominent position within the street scene. It is intended to site the new development upon the footprint of the existing 2 / 2½ storey retail units fronting Cardiff Road and Perrott Street. The proposed development will have a similar overall height, but the massing of the building is broken up into smaller component units. The application proposes 16 no. flats, each having 2 no. bedrooms. Each flat would have an approximate floor area of 60m². Parking is proposed beneath the building fronting Perrott Street and in the courtyard at the rear of the buildings with vehicular access off Cardiff Road at the northeast of the site and pedestrian access off Cardiff Road at the northwest end of the site. No access to the individual flats is proposed from the courtyard area. Access will be from Cardiff Road and Perrott Street. An element of the existing dressed stonework is to be salvaged for the development. In addition to this, a blend of timber cladding, bricks and a coloured and white render is proposed for the materials. The plot is surrounded by a number of traditional terraced properties which are on a consistent building line. The proposed development is contemporary in design compared with the surrounding buildings. PLANNING HISTORY Planning consent was granted in November 2002 for a built development comprising community enterprise/workshop areas, bakery, cyber café, 2 no. flats, community IT training areas, community hall, entrance foyer and toilets (ref: P/02/0248). PUBLICITY In accordance with the provisions of Article 8 of 1995 Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order the following publicity measures were undertaken: site notice; press notice and individual letters sent to occupants of adjoining buildings. No written or other representations have been received. CONSULTATION • Head of Engineering – no objection to the proposal subject to conditions. • Head of Environmental Health - no response • Dwr Cymru Welsh Water - no objection subject to conditions and advisory notes. • Environment Agency - standard advice applies. • Western Power Distribution - no objection to the proposal. • Wales and West Utilities - no objection to the proposal. • Swalec - no response. POLICY CONTEXT Policy H2 of the Merthyr Tydfil Borough Local Plan states that Development proposals for housing within settlement boundaries on land not identified under Policy H1 will be permitted subject to consideration against the following criteria: - The proposal does not have an unacceptable impact on the character and amenity of the immediate neighbourhood. - The siting of the development is acceptable in relation to the design, scale, materials, and setting of the proposal. - The proposal does not have an unacceptable impact on the character, amenity and landscape quality of the area, including the need to retain features of water, wildlife, nature conservation interests and historical interests identified during the assessment and design of the scheme. - The proposal does not have an unacceptable impact on the rights of way network and other forms of public access to the countryside. - The proposal does not conflict with transportation considerations including car parking, traffic generation, access and accessibility to public transport. Policy H3 of the Mid Glamorgan (Merthyr Tydfil County Borough) Replacement Structure Plan 1991 – 2006 states that proposals for residential development on sites within settlement areas as defined in local plans will be permitted where this involves: 1. New residential development on derelict, undeveloped, potentially redundant or under used land where this does not conflict with uses identified in local plans. 2. The proposal is compatible with transportation considerations – including parking, traffic generation and access – the conservation of the environment and the maintenance of local amenity. PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS The proposed development is considered acceptable in planning terms. It complies with the provisions and policies of the relevant development plans. The structure, once built, will make a positive impact on the street scene with its contemporary design. Furthermore it will contribute to the regeneration of the Treharris area. The proposal would not appear out of character and thus would not have a material adverse effect upon the visual amenities of the area. Neither would it have a material adverse impact upon the amenities of neighbouring residents by way of loss of light or overbearing effect. Furthermore, the approved 2002 development was also modern in design terms. In addition, the Head of Engineering has stated that he has no objection to the proposals, subject to condition. Sixteen flats are proposed with 16 no. parking spaces to serve them. Whilst this does not meet the standard set by the 1993 South Wales Parking Guidelines, it is considered acceptable in this case as the proposal is a Housing Association development and lower levels of car ownership are expected. It is considered therefore that the proposal is acceptable from a highway safety point of view. To this end, it is considered that the proposed development is acceptable and it is recommended that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions. RECOMMENDATION: BE APPROVED