Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

None

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 5 July 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.

None

None.

2021/3182/FUL - Approved

A planning application was presented on behalf of the Head of Planning & City Regeneration. Amendments/updates to this schedule were reported and are indicated below by (#) (Note: Updates to the report referred to below were circulated to Members of the Committee and published on the Council’s website prior to the meeting.

 

Resolved that the undermentioned planning application Be Approved subject to the conditions in the report and/or indicated below:

 

#(Item 1) – Planning Application 2021/3182/FUL - Residential development comprising 17 no. dwellings (8 x 2 bed, 9 x 3 bed) and 18 no. flats (14 x 1 bed, 4 x 2 bed) and associated infrastructure work at Land at Samlet Road , Llansamlet, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was given.

 

Report updated as follows:

 

Since the report was finalized, full comments have been received from the Local Highways Authority (LHA) on the amended submission.

 

The LHA had previously commented that they had no objections and this remains. The comments are included in full below:

 

“Background

This application has been submitted following the Pre-Application Consultation period within which the Highway Authority submitted a formal and detailed response. A formal response had already been submitted on this application. This updated response has been provided in response to amended plans submission. The previous response has therefore been considered and any outstanding issues raised and confirmed as appropriate.

 

There are some noted changes to the content of the residential dwellings and the internal layout, since the last submission which was reviewed.

 

Access

 

The previous comments raised the requirement for a right turn lane to be provided and also shown within the swept path assessments. This has been addressed in terms of the more recent plans.

 

It was also set out that the submitted plan will be required to include the appropriate dimensions confirmed such as road and lane widths and kerb radii. This has been concluded to a position acceptable at planning stage.

 

The swept paths undertaken for access, and internal layouts were requested to include assessed vehicle speeds and that a simultaneous assessment of a box luton home delivery van passing a private car, through was shown. This has been provided and there are no further issues to raise as part of this application.

 

The swept path of the refuse vehicle was the subject of discussion where on initial consideration it did show that the manoeuvres are oversail or were unacceptably close to footways and verges. This has been progressed to a position where the assessment using robust vehicle has been carried out with appropriate speeds indicated throughout the development. The manoeuvres at the access do overrun centrelines on the minor and major arms, although it has been taken into account that the site is an existing commercial premises which has two access points that would have been served by HGVs.

 

Internal Access

 

The request to show full 2.0 metre wide footways on both sides of the internal layout appears to have been addressed.

 

It was requested that the internal junctions are assessed for junction visibility, it is noted that these are shown as footway crossovers which ensure that pedestrians retain priority. The verge area, if contained to low planting, should allow pedestrian inter visibility splays. These would include those internal road widths would also need to be set out, noting previous advice that 5.5 metres would be considered the minimum to allow two way trave, although it is worth adding, 6 metres width is generally the acceptable width to provide easy parking access.

 

It was confirmed that the Parking SPG contains advice on parking courts and maximum numbers to be served. This set out a maximum of 12 can be served in a court format, the layout currently shows 14 spaces in one court. Whilst this is not strictly in accordance with the Parking SPG, wider consideration has been given to the to the parking court layout for a balanced view. The area is spacious, adequate circulation area has been provided and the conflicts with cycle storage that were raised have been resolved. The intended use of the development for social housing has been considered and that the development will remain in singular Housing Association ownership does allow for continued management and intervention if required.

 

The assessment of a refuse vehicle shows it will remain on the central route. It was requested that a refuse strategy demonstrate that all resident homes or bin collection points are within maximum walking distances for residents and refuse handlers. This has been developed in sufficient detail and is accepted.

 

The internal route as shown has been considered in terms of whether home delivery vans can attend the dwellings within a reasonable walking distance, this appears to be achievable.

 

Parking

 

The parking provision within the site has been confirmed to be in accordance with the specification set out within the Parking SPG, 2.6 metres by 4.8 metres.

 

As set out earlier the provision of parking courts is advised upon within the SPG and also visitor parking is accepted to occur organically at appropriate locations within the layout.

 

The parking provision for the proposed development was previously subject to an accessibility assessment, which is the appropriate method to assess the sustainable location of a site and determine whether justification exists to reduce parking provision.

 

The parking provision cannot fall below one space per dwelling. A review of the parking against house types and bedrooms suggest that these are in the realms of the discounted amount. It was noted that a house type with two beds alternated in provision of one and two spaces through the layout. The conclusion was that whilst this was confusing, it was not below the maximum permitted discounted of one space.

 

General parking comments would include, that spaces at the end of an arrangement or against a solid boundary generally require some additional width buffer, in the order of 500mm. It is raised that the car parking spaces located near cycle parking enclosures could be at conflict. The current version of the masterplan has resolved these issues appropriately.

 

The accessible parking bays associated with the accessible flat provision have been marked out in the way requested.

Cycle parking provision has been included and the detail provided, the parking provision for the flats equals one cycle space per units located over three units. A total of 20 spaces are proposed ensuring a minimum of one space per unit.

 

Sustainable Travel Enhancements

 

It was previously confirmed that should the scheme be successfully promoted through planning in some form, there will be financial contributions sought for local improvement schemes. This was set out as a shared use track to be provided, at the developers expense, from the south west of the application site to link to the Enterprise Zone 'yellow cycle route' to allow for increased cycle/pedestrian access to the Enterprise Zone and beyond.

 

There has been agreement received from the applicant on the request to fund this enhancement and connection to the existing active travel route. It was confirmed that financial contribution is to be made of £15,000 by way of Section 106 Agreement.

 

What will be required is for the development layout to provide the connection point to this layout, that is a point within, and up to, the boundary. This will be required to provide an active travel corridor from within the site to the proposed connection.

 

Highway Authority Response to this Application:

 

As advised in previous consultation response, the Highway Authority would not likely object subject to the issues raised being fully addressed.

 

Following additional dialogue and exchanges, this has been completed to a position where the application can be supported. The Highway Authority therefore does not recommend objection, subject to the inclusion of appropriate planning conditions.

 

The recommended conditions are set out below:

 

i.         Prior to commencement of development details of the proposed access works to the highway shall be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority the City and County of Swansea Development Management Team under a Section 278 Agreement.   All access works, relating to the highway Samlet Road, shall be substantially completed prior to any of the works commencing on site to the satisfaction of the Local Highway Authority and as approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.   Note: All off-site highway works are subject to an agreement under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980.  The design and detail required as part of a Section 278 Agreement will be prepared by the City and County of Swansea. In certain circumstances there may be an option for the developer to prepare the scheme design and detail, for approval by the City and County of Swansea. However, this will be the exception rather than the rule. All design and implementation will be at the expense of the developer.   ii.        No infrastructure obstruction or planting existing or when mature, exceeding 600mm in height shall be placed or exist within the required vision splay areas.   iii        No dwelling shall be occupied until the access and parking works have been completed and made ready for use, these will be required to be provided in accordance to the City and County of Swansea parking standards and with the approved drawings hereby. The parking areas shall be made available for vehicular parking at all times thereafter.             In the interests of highway safety and general amenity   iv      No dwelling shall be occupied until the proposed connection point, within the site, has been made to the redline site boundary to connect with the active travel route which has been outlined as the subject of a S106 agreement. The location and specification of the route will set out in plans to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.   In the interests of facilitating active travel and reducing the                reliance on the private car from the onset.   v      No development shall commence, including any works of demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The statement shall provide for:   The parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors. Loading and unloading of plant and materials. Storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development. The erection and maintenance of security hoarding including decorative displays and facilities for public viewing where appropriate. Wheel washing facilities. Measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during demolition and construction and A scheme for recycling/disposing of waste resulting from demolition and construction works.   Reason: To reduce the likelihood of obstruction of the highway, danger to road users, to conserve public health and local amenity, to ensure satisfactory standard of sustainable development and in order to ensure a proper standard of development and appearance in the interests of conserving the amenities and architectural character of the area.   Note 1: The Developer must contact the Highway Management Group, The City and County of Swansea, Guildhall Offices, c/o The Civic Centre, Swansea SA1 3SN before carrying out any work. Please contact e-mail networkmanagement@swansea.gov.uk”   Notwithstanding these comments, the requested condition 1 is covered by separate legislation and does not therefore need to be covered by condition. Similarly, a Construction Management Plan is also covered under this proposed and a condition is therefore not considered necessary or reasonable. Visibility splays are included within the details required by condition 20. Parking is covered by condition 9.   However, one additional condition is considered necessary and reasonable to connect the active travel route through the site to the proposed path to the south.   Add the following condition:   26.    No dwelling shall be occupied until the proposed active travel route from the site access road to the site boundary (to connect with the active travel route to be secured as part of the S106 agreement) has been completed in accordance with full details which shall first have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.    Reason: In the interests of facilitating active travel and reducing the reliance on the private car from the onset of the development.

Note: Application approved in accordance with recommendation subject to a Section 106 Agreement being signed and condition 26 being added.

Approved

The Lead Lawyer on behalf of the Head of Planning and City Regeneration presented a report which outlined that an application has been received from the Welsh Government to amend the Register of Common Land by removing land from Llangyfelach Common which was compulsorily purchased in 1969 for the M4 highway construction and the registration of other land that was provided in exchange.

 

The background details and history to the matter were outlined and detailed in the report by Officers, including the land affected, the legal procedures followed, the preliminary considerations and consultations undertaken.

 

No objections or representations were received regarding the matter and the conclusion of the evidence supplied is that the taken land ceased to become common land and the substituted land became common land following the order in 1969.

 

Resolved that the application be accepted and the Register of Common Land be amended as follows:

 

1) the land identified in this report as the “Substituted Land” be added to Register Unit CL49: Llangyfelach Common; and

 

2) the land identified in this report as the ‘Taken Land’ be removed from Register Unit CL49: Llangyfelach Common.