Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P M Black,

N S Bradley, J P Curtice, W J F Davies, J A Hale, T J Hennegan, B Hopkins,

D H Hopkins, L James, M H Jones, D J Lewis, K E Marsh, H M Morris,

R J Stanton and M Thomas.

 

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of

Swansea, the following interests were declared:

 

Councillor C E Lloyd - Minute No. 16 - Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon – Member

of Port Health Authority - personal.

 

Councillor P Lloyd - Minute No. 16 - Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon - Member of

Port Health Authority - personal.

 

Councillor P M Meara - Minute No. 16 - Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon – Member

of Port Health Authority - personal.

 

Councillor R V Smith - Minute No. 16 - Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon – Member

of Port Health Authority - personal.

 

Councillor P M White - Minute No. 16 - Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon – Member

of Port Health Authority - personal.

 

The Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning presented a report which

appraised the impact of the tidal lagoon proposals on the City and County of

Swansea and recommended a Local Impact Report and written

representations to the Planning Inspectorate Examining Authority on behalf of

the Council along with other recommendations to deal with the procedural

aspects of the examination process, including dealing with matters within a

statement of common ground and responses to Inspector’s questions. 

 

It was outlined that Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay Ltd. proposed to design,

construct and operate a tidal lagoon for the purposes of generating renewable

energy.  This will be achieved by harnessing the power of the high tidal range

in Swansea Bay.  The lagoon created as part of the project would enclose an

area of approximately 11.5 km sq. of seabed and foreshore of Swansea Bay

to create the lagoon.  The associated sea walls will be approximately 9.5 km

in length and extended in a distorted U shape from the eastern side of the

River Tawe to the eastern edge of the new Swansea University Bay Campus,

in Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.  The seawall would be a

maximum of 107 m wide at the base at the deepest section adjacent to the

turbine and sluice gate housing and would narrow as it extended towards the

landfalls to a minimum width of 40 m.  The visible height of the seawalls

above the water level measured at the highest point would be approximately

4 m at high tide and 12.5 m at low tide. 

 

The Authority is invited to provide a response to the Planning Inspectorate

Examining Authority on the impact of the proposed tidal lagoon on the City

and County of Swansea to allow full engagement with any examination

process.

 

Members asked a number of questions in relation to the report which were

responded to accordingly. 

 

NOTED the following amendments to the report:

 

Local Impact Report Correction

 

Paragraph 8.20 should refer to Appendix C of the White Consultant’s Report.

 

Local Impact Report Addition

 

The following sentence be added to paragraph 21.11:

 

“The applicant should be financially accountable for this and any other such

financial implication arising from the proposed development.”

 

Written Representation Addition

 

Addition at paragraph 1.41 as follows:

 

 

 

“The position of the City and County of Swansea is therefore to adopt a

 precautionary approach to the proposed development and it is accordingly

 requested that if, at decision making stage, there are any residual doubts as

 to the impact of the scheme, the benefit of doubt should be given to the

 protection of Swansea Bay.”

 

RESOLVED that:

 

(1)       the Local Impact Report be accepted as the Local Impact Report for the City and County of Swansea and be submitted to the Examining Authority of the Planning Inspectorate in accordance with the timetable for the examination process;

 

(2)       delegated powers be granted to the Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning to make minor amendments to the Local Impact Report to rectify such matters as typing or grammatical errors;

 

(3)       that the findings of Kenneth Pye Associates and White Consultants be accepted and presented to the Examining Authority of the Planning Inspectorate as representing the views of the City and County of Swansea and formally form part of the Council’s Local Impact Report;

 

(4)       that the written representation be accepted as the written representation for the City and County of Swansea and be submitted to the Examining Authority of the Planning

 

Inspectorate in accordance with the timetable for the examination

process along with a summary version;

 

(5)       delegated powers be given to the Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning to formally contribute to a statement of common ground to be submitted to the Examining Authority of the Planning Inspectorate in accordance with the timetable for the examination process and within the terms of the Council’s Local Impact Report and written representations;

 

(6)       delegated powers to be given to the Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning to formally respond to the Examining Authority’s Inspector’s questions in accordance with the timetable for the examination process during the course of the examination and also to make comment on the submissions of other parties including the applicant;

 

(7)       delegated powers be given to the Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning to formally represent the views of the City and County of Swansea in any topic specific hearing and subsequent requirements in accordance with the timetable for the examination process during the course of the examination, within the terms of the Council’s Local Impact Report and written representation.

 

(8)       delegated powers be given to the Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning to add formal comments on the draft requirements (conditions) of the Development Consent Order;

 

(9)       delegated powers be granted to the Head of Economic Regeneration and Planning to continue negotiations on the precise level of contribution required towards the Fabian Way Corridor Study Works;

 

(10)     that an examination progress report be reported to the Development Management and Control Committee scheduled for 9 October 2014.