Issue - meetings

That conditional planning permission be granted subject to the applicant entering into a Section 106 Obligation to provide for:

(a)       Control the provision and occupation of 4 No. bungalows within the development which are proposed to be gifted to the Council to meet     affordable housing needs.

(b)       Ensure the payment of an educational contribution of £49,028 towards school places at Sychdyn Primary School and £129,283 towards improving facilities to increase capacity at Argoed Secondary School.

And 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 and was deferred at the last meeting. The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.  Additional comments received since the preparation of the report were circulated at the meeting. 

            The officer gave an overview of the application and explained that the proposals were for the erection of 43 No. dwellings and associated works on land at Ffordd Eldon, Sychdyn, Mold.  The site was allocated for residential development in the Flintshire Unitary Development Plan by virtue of Policy HSG1 (38).  A Development Brief for the site had previously been produced and adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance in 2012.   Amended plans had been received in progression of the application on which further consultation was undertaken.   The officer outlined the reasons for recommending approval, subject to conditions and to the applicant entering into a Section 106 Obligation.

                        Councillor Marion Bateman spoke against the application on the grounds that  it did not comply with its site-specific Development Brief (the Brief).  She said that the Brief had been advised because of the sensitive nature of the site due to the locally important Wats Dyke archaeological remains and the additional restrictions on the site, resulting in a requirement to build at an appropriate density.  She said that the Brief had been approved by Council in September 2012.  She referred to the need for compliance with the Brief which should be afforded considerable weight as a material planning consideration.  She said that the Brief attached to the Sychdyn site had weight behind it and that there were examples in the report where it was stated that the Brief was a guidance document and not prescriptive which was misleading. 

Councillor Bateman said that the proposed number of dwellings were affected by the constraints of the site.  The net development area was 1.3 hectares; a low density of 25 per hectare would produce 33 dwellings and an average density of 30 dwellings per hectare would produce 39 dwellings.  She said the Council did not consider it appropriate to exceed the levels given the circumstances of the site. The application was for 43 dwellings which was between 4 and 10 extra dwellings than in the Brief.   Referring to site description Councillor Bateman said a public right of way ran along the southern edge of the site which formed part of the Wats Dyke Heritage Trail.  She stated that bungalows primarily surrounded the site and that it may be appropriate to use this type of building design within the development at the southern side of the site where it interfaced with the existing village.  Councillor Bateman also referred to the proposals in paragraphs 7.19 and 7.20 of the report which she said were misleading and not compliant with the Brief. 

Councillor Bateman drew attention to paragraph 7.36 of the report and said that the Brief provided an indicative plan  ...  view the full minutes text for item 150