Agenda item

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment).

            The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) in respect of this application which had been the subject of a site visit on 1 September 2014.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.

            The officer detailed the background to the report and explained that the application had been deferred from the Committee meeting on 23 July 2014 to allow a site visit to be undertaken.  The report had been updated with consultation responses received since that meeting which included comments from Natural Resources Wales on the flood consequences assessment.  The new building would be situated in the car park of the public house and the main issues included access and parking.  Highways had agreed that the access and egress to the site was suitable and as the bakery and public house would have separate opening hours, the reduction in car parking spaces to accommodate the new building was acceptable.      

            Councillor A. Parsonage from Hope Community Council spoke against the proposal.  He raised concern about the reduction in parking spaces and suggested that the new business could be accommodated into the existing public house to avoid any issues if the two businesses fell into separate ownership.  He felt that the access was too narrow for vehicles other than cars and vans and traffic parking in the splay was a concern for local residents.  Councillor Parsonage added that it was a turning point for lorries which were too large to go under the nearby railway bridge. 

            The applicant, Ms. H. Tou, spoke in support of the application.  She explained that the new build would include a ground floor café/bakery with a first floor flat above.  The café and the public house would have separate opening hours so there would not be a conflict for parking spaces.  There was an area of the car park which was currently mossy due to lack of use and therefore a reduction in parking spaces would not be an issue.  She added that it was not possible to extend the existing public house to accommodate the café/bakery.  There would be two deliveries a week to the café/bakery and even though the access was narrow, there was sufficient space for two vehicles to pass before entering the access to the car park where this building would be located.  The café/bakery would bring a unique proposal to the area and extra staff would be employed to work in the family business.      

Councillor Richard Jones proposed the recommendation for approval which was duly seconded.  He welcomed the application and said that there was no issue about access. 

Councillor Mike Peers felt that local businesses should be encouraged and reiterated that access was not a problem.

The Local Member Councillor Stella Jones’ main concern was the narrow access to the site and concern that emergency vehicles would not be able to gain access.  She highlighted paragraph 7.23 which indicated that public view would be restricted to those customers entering the site.  She felt that this was incorrect as it could be visible to anybody who stood on the bridge and would therefore not enhance the area.  Councillor Jones also felt that the current building could be adapted to accommodate the new business. 

Councillor Owen Thomas felt that the number of car parking spaces was acceptable and that the application should be encouraged.  Councillor Gareth Roberts said that the access was not ideal but as it was also the access for the car park for the existing public house, then the application could not be refused on those grounds.  Councillor Derek Butler felt that there may be conflict for parking in the afternoons due to the reduction in car parking spaces but felt that the new business was an enhancement of the provision in the public house and he welcomed the café/bakery.

On being put to the vote, the proposal to approve the application was CARRIED unanimously.    

            RESOLVED:

            That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment).