Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

 

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.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Planning Committee held on 2 February 2021 be approved and signed as correct record.

 

None.

The Head of Planning and City Regeneration presented a report which sought authorisation to modify the Section 106 Agreement relating to planning

permission 2017/1451/OUT (for the residential development of the former Gorwydd Colliery, Gorwydd Road, Gowerton).

 

The request has been submitted under S106A(1)(a) of the Town and Country

Planning Act 1990 (as amended) with the applicant seeking to amend the following aspects of the S106 agreement;

(i)  alter the tenure split of the affordable housing from 30% intermediate and

70% social rented to 100% Intermediate;

(ii) remove the education contribution for the English Medium schools and change the trigger point for payment; and

(iii) reduce the highway contribution from £35,000 to £20,000.

 

The background history to the granting of the original permission in 2018 and the objections received regarding the revised proposals were outlined and detailed in the report.

 

Gareth Evans (objector) and Phil Baxter (agent) addressed the committee.

 

Councillor Sue Jones (Local Member) addressed the Committee and spoke against the proposals.

 

Report updated as follows;

12 late letters of objection reported.

The relevant points of objection contained within these letters re-iterate the points of objection already listed in the planning report.

 

(Note: Updates to the report referred to above were circulated to Members of the Committee and published on the Council’s website prior to the meeting)

 

Resolved that the request to modify the Section 106 agreement be refused for the following reason:

“The proposed provision of intermediate housing as the only form of affordable housing provided within the development site that is secured by a S106 agreement, would fail to provide a balanced mix of housing tenures, which would be to the detriment of community regeneration and social cohesion”.

 

 

A series of planning applications were 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)

 

1) the undermentioned planning application Be Approved subject to the conditions in the report.

 

#(Item 1) – Planning Application 2020/2419/RES - Construction of 13 dwellings and ancillary infrastructure (details of the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale  pursuant to outline application 2014/0977 allowed on appeal on 11th January 2018) at Cwmrhydyceirw Quarry Co Ltd, Great Western Terrace, Cwmrhydyceirw, Swansea.

 

A visual presentation was given.

 

Report updated as follows:

Future Wales Policies:             Planning Policy Wales:

Policy 1 – Where Wales Will Grow Policy 2 – Shaping urban growth and regeneration – Strategic placemaking Policy 7 – Delivering affordable homes Policy 9 – Resilient ecological networks and Green infrastructure Policy 28 – National Growth Area – Swansea Bay and Llanelli   No changes to substance of PPW section of Officer Report with exception of policy reference number changes.

Since the report was finalised, Natural Resources Wales confirmed that they had no objections to the proposal.

 

#(Item 2) – Planning Application 2020/2068/S73 - Proposed cessation of landfill and other operations enabled by residential development circa 300 dwellings, public open space, associated highways and ancillary works (outline) (Variation of condition 2 of planning permission 2014/0977 granted 11th January 2018 to allow for the submission of reserved matters applications to be extended by a further 2 years to 11 Jan 2023) at Cwmrhydyceirw Quarry Co Ltd, Great Western Terrace, Cwmrhydyceirw, Swansea.

 

A visual presentation was given.

 

Application approved subject to a S106 agreement.

 

Report updated as follows:

Conditions 1 and 2 contained within the ‘Recommendation’ section of the report should be revised as follows;

 

1. Details of the appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale, (hereinafter called "the reserved matters") shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority before any development subject of any reserved matters application(s) submitted after the date of this decision notice begins, and the development shall be carried out as approved.

 

Reason: The application, in outline form, does not give sufficient detail for consideration of these matters at this time.

 

2. Any application for approval of the reserved matters shall be made to the Local Planning Authority not later than 11th January 2023.

 

Reason: Required to be imposed pursuant to Section 92 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Future Wales Policies:               Planning Policy Wales:

Policy 1 – Where Wales Will GrowPolicy 2 – Shaping urban growth and regeneration – Strategic placemaking Policy 7 – Delivering affordable homes Policy 9 – Resilient ecological networks and Green infrastructure Policy 11 – National connectivity Policy 12 – Regional connectivity Policy 28 – National Growth Area – Swansea Bay and Llanelli   No changes to substance of PPW section of Officer Report with exception of policy reference number changes. It is not considered reasonable to request drinking water provision given that the open space within the site already has detailed planning permission, although this will be encouraged as part of any future reserved matters applications where appropriate.

 

#(Item 3) – Planning Application 2020/2544/FUL - Construction of 21 residential apartments in 1 no. five storey block with access, parking and associated works at Site of former Russell House , 31 Russell Street, Swansea.

 

A visual presentation was given.

 

Application approved subject to a S106 agreement.

 

 

 

Note: All reports updated as follows:

 

POLICY UPDATE – ALL APPLICATIONS

 

Future Wales: The National Plan 2040

 

Since the Committee Agenda was finalised, ‘Future Wales: The National Plan 2040’ (hereinafter called Future Wales) has been adopted by the Welsh Government and Planning Policy Wales (11th Edition – February 2021) has been revised to accompany this.

 

Future Wales is now the national development plan for Wales and influences all levels of the planning system – the first development plan of its kind. The plan has “development plan” status and is the highest tier of the development plan and all decisions must now accord with Future Wales unless material considerations indicate otherwise. It is a framework which will be built on by Strategic Development Plans at a regional level and Local Development Plans at local authority level.

 

The three tiers of the development plan should be aligned and complement each other. Strategic Development Plans, which have not yet been prepared in any region, are required to be in conformity with Future Wales. Similarly, Local Development Plans must be in conformity with Future Wales and the Strategic Development Plan for their area.

 

Planning decisions at every level of the planning system in Wales must be taken in accordance with the development plan as a whole.

 

Future Wales is a development plan with a strategy for addressing key national priorities through the planning system, including sustaining and developing a vibrant economy, achieving decarbonisation and climate-resilience, developing strong ecosystems and improving the health and well-being of our communities. Future Wales does not seek to take decisions that are most appropriately taken at the regional or local level. It provides strategic direction for all scales of planning and sets out policies and key issues to be taken forward at the regional scale. It does not seek to identify the exact location for new development or the scale of growth in individual settlements.

 

Future Wales contains 11 outcomes. These are overarching ambitions based on the national planning principles and national sustainable placemaking outcomes set out in Planning Policy Wales. The 11 Outcomes are collectively a statement of where the Welsh Government want Wales to be in 20 years time. The plan contains 36 overarching policies, some applicable at a national level across Wales and some area specific.

 

These are high level policies and the Local Development Plan is in general accordance with these. The specific policies will need to be listed in planning reports going forward and the updates on each application will identify what policies are applicable below.

 

Future Wales contains 4 regions Swansea is located in the South West Region (including Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot). The regional policies focus on four areas – they provide a framework for national growth, for regional growth, for managing growth and supporting growth. Swansea Bay is identified as a National Growth Area.

 

Planning Policy Wales (11^th Edition)

 

PPW has been revised and includes reference to the Covid-19 pandemic and th Welsh Governmen’t s Building Better Places document which pinpoints the most relevant planning policy priorities an actions to aid in the recovery. Information has also been added with regards to the Placemaking Charter.

 

The updates include the promotion of the incorporation of drinking water fountains or refill stations as part of development in public areas and active travel / public transport infrastructure should be put in place early on in the development process.

 

Throughout PPW changes have been made to reflect the name change for Future Wales from the National Development Framework and also changes to the terminology regarding ‘climate change’ to reflect the Welsh Government’s declaration of the ‘climate emergency’ in April 2019. Again, policy changes will be covered where relevant below:

 

Links to each document are provided below:

 

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2021-02/future-wales-the-national-plan-2040.pdf

 

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2021-02/planning-policy-wales-edition-11_0.pdf