Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared:

 

Councillor P M Black – Minute No.39 – Planning Application 2016/1530 (Item 3) – Pentrehafod Comprehensive – Personal – as LA Governor at the School.

 

Councillor D C Cole – Minute No.39 - Planning Application 2016/1046 (Item 1) – Land at TA Centre, Gorseinon – Personal – My wife and I own a residence in the area.

 

Councillor D W W Thomas – Minute No.39 – Planning Application 2016/1427 (Item 2) – Cwmbwrla School and Planning Application 2016/1530 (Item 3) – Pentrehafod Comprehensive – Personal – as Deputy Cabinet Member for Education.

 

Councillor T M White – Minute No.39 – Planning Application 2016/1530 (Item 3)  – Pentrehafod Comprehensive – Personal – as LA Governor at the School and Ward Member.

 

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

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Planning Committee held on 4 October 2016 be approved as a correct record.

 

 

None.

A series of planning applications were presented on behalf of The Head of Planning & City Regeneration.

 

Amendments to this schedule were reported and are indicated below by (#)

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1) the undermentioned planning applications BE APPROVED subject to the conditions in the report and/or indicated below:

 

#(Item 1) Planning Application 2016/1046 - Land At Ta Centre, Park Road, Gorseinon, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

Report updated as follows:

 

Line 2 of paragraph 3 on page 24 should read ‘ ..former TA site’ and not ‘…former school site’

 

One additional letter of objection received.  The concerns raised reflect those raised by previous objectors and the objector has asked Committee to consider the effects of change on local residents.

 

The applicant’s agent has advised that the overall build contract will be let in two phases. In order to allow the development to proceed in a phased manner, the following additional condition was added:

 

16. No development shall take place until a scheme for the phasing of the development has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  All works shall be undertaken in accordance with the approved phasing scheme.

 

Conditions 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14 and 15 should be amended to take into account the phasing of the development and begin

 

‘ Unless agreed as part of the phasing scheme, …’

 

The applicant’s agent has submitted an additional plan indicating the provision of additional boundary measures at the intersection of the two internal access roads. This address the concerns of Urban Design but the detailed design of the enclosure needs to be secured by condition. The following condition was added:

 

17. Unless agreed as part of the phasing scheme, and notwithstanding the submitted plans, no dwelling shall be occupied until a plan indicating the positions, height, design, materials and type of boundary treatment to be erected shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The boundary treatment shall be completed as approved before the development hereby approved is brought into beneficial use and retained as such for the duration of the use.

 

Reason: In the interest of maintaining a satisfactory scheme of landscaping and to protect the visual amenity of the area.

 

Phil Baxter (agent) spoke in support of the application.

 

Councillor David Lewis, Local Ward Councillor addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

 

#(Item 2) Planning Application 2016/1427 - Cwmbwrla School, Stepney Street, Cwmbwrla, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

Report updated as follows:

 

On page 51, line 1, paragraph 4, typing error – should read ‘2015’ and not ‘2105’

 

Add at the end of condition 6, ‘The works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.’

 

In condition 7, ‘Al’ should read ‘All’.

 

Add at the end of condition 15, ‘ Any vehicular containment measures required shall be completed in accordance with the approved details prior to first beneficial occupation and retained as approved for the duration of the development hereby approved.’

 

Informatives not on report. Informatives relating to Section 278 agreement, policies, and advice from pollution control, NRW, DCWW, drainage and highways to be added.

 

(Item 3) Planning Application 2016/1530 - Pentrehafod Comprehensive School, Pentre Mawr Road, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

(Item 4) Planning Application 2016/1320 - 36 Oldway Centre, Orchard Street, City Centre, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

Councillor Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application

Application APPROVED in accordance with recommendation subject to entering into a Section 106 Agreement and conditions.

 

#(Item 6) Planning Application 2016/1574 - Plots A15 & A16 Land East of Fabian Way Link, SA1, Swansea Waterfront, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

John Thomas (objector) addressed the committee and spoke against the application.

 

Natalie Queffuras (agent) addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application.

 

Councillor Joe Hale, Local Ward Councillor addressed the Committee and spoke regarding the siting of the access road relating to the application site.

 

Additional Landscaping Condition added as follows:

All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the commencement of the development, and any trees or plants which within a period of 3 years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species.

Reason: In order to provide for appropriate boundary screening to the site in the interests of visual amenity.

 

Application APPROVED subject to the conditions in the report and addition of the above mentioned condition.

 

(Item 9) Planning Application 2016/1715 - 14 Mirador Guest House, Mirador Crescent, Uplands, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

Additional Condition added as follows:

The outbuilding to the rear of property shall be used as an ancillary garden room and storage area only and shall not at any time be used as a unit of accommodation of for use as overnight accommodation.

Reason: In order to define the extent of the permission and in the interests of amenity.

 

Application APPROVED subject to the conditions in the report and addition of the above mentioned condition.

 

 

2) the undermentioned planning applications BE REFUSED for the reasons set out below:

 

#(Item 5) Planning Application 2016/1511 - Plot A1, Swansea Waterfront, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

Report updated as follows:

Page 140

Revision to wording of Condition No. 2 to reflect and reference the updated DAS with Addendum and revised photomontages received 26 October 2016. Amendment to condition reference of Landscaping Masterplan to read ‘EDP3244-07c’ not ‘EDP3244-10A.

 

Page 124

Amendment to reflect that the proposal includes a total of 118.50 m² commercial unit (A3) on the ground floor level, not 70.51 m² as quoted, due to the glazed footprint of the café expanding over the course of the application with amended plans to increase the level of active frontage.

 

Additional Letters of objection received following re-consultation of amended plans received 17 October 2016 raise following concerns:

Continued objection. Amended plans do not alter my view that the provision of student accommodation in the proposed location would be completely unsuitable. Businesses operating in the SA1 benefit from being located in a prestigious business/office area. This would be severely compromised by the presence of students and their inevitable (and well documented) impact on the neighbourhood.

Amended plans do not appear to make any substantive changes to the plans originally submitted.

Cannot agree that a building with eight floors, stepped or otherwise, can possibly be seen as respecting the height of neighbouring Ethos building.

 

Richard Banks and Meirion Howells (objectors) addressed the committee and spoke against the application.

 

Joe Ayoubkani (agent) spoke in support of the application.

 

Councillor Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council addressed the Committee and spoke in favour of the application.

 

Councillor Joe Hale, Local Ward Councillor addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

 

Application REFUSED contrary to officer recommendations for the following reasons:

1. The development by virtue of its scale, form and design will impact to an unacceptable degree upon the character and appearance of the area, will not integrate effectively with adjacent spaces and is not considered to be an appropriate high quality design solution to the local context as a prominent gateway to Swansea City Centre contrary to the requirements of policies EV1, EV2 and EC2 of the Swansea Unitary Development Plan (Adopted November 2008).

2. Insufficient car parking provision is made for the development which will result in pressure for on street parking to the detriment of the surrounding areas. The development is therefore contrary to the requirements of policy AS6 of the Swansea Unitary Development Plan (Adopted November 2008) and the Supplementary Planning Guidance – Parking Standards (Adopted March 2012).

3. Policies EC1 and EC2 identify that the SA1 Swansea Waterfront area is reserved for a mixed employment and residential development together with supporting leisure, tourism, community and ancillary uses and that the development should be comprehensive, integrate with the Maritime Quarter, Complement and not compete with the City Centre, be of a high standard of design, embrace principles of sustainable development, provide high quality employment opportunities, increase the range of housing stock, make appropriate provision for a network of pedestrian and cycle routes and safeguard the potential canal route corridor.  The proposed use for student accommodation is contrary to the Masterplan approved for the application site as part of outline planning permission 2002/1000 and subsequently amended via planning permission 2008/0996 (SA1 Swansea Waterfront Design and Development Framework August 2004 Version 5) to  provide for a high quality employment site. The proposed use will not complement existing surrounding business uses and fail to result in the provision of high quality employment opportunities contrary to policies EC1 and EC2 of the Swansea Unitary Development Plan (Adopted November 2008).

 

(Item 7) Planning Application 2016/1714 - 8 Alexandra Terrace, Brynmill, Swansea

 

Jayne Keeley (objector) addressed the committee and spoke against the application.

 

Michael Hooper & Ken Hooper (applicants) spoke in support of the application.

 

Councillor Nick Davies, Local Ward Councillor addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

 

Application REFUSED contrary to officer recommendations for the following reason:

The proposal, in combination with existing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) within Alexandra Terrace will result in a harmful concentration and intensification of HMOs in the street and wider area. This cumulative impact will result in damage to the character of the area and social cohesion with higher levels of transient residents and fewer long term households and established families. Such impact will lead in the long term to communities which are not balanced and self-sustaining. As a result the proposal is contrary to Policy HC5 criterion (ii) of the Swansea Unitary Development Plan (2008) and the National Policy aims set out in Planning Policy Wales (Edition 8 January 2016) of creating sustainable and inclusive mixed communities.

 

(Item 8) Planning Application 2016/1688 - 57 St Helens Avenue, Swansea

 

A visual presentation was provided.

 

Mark Beresford (applicant) spoke in support of the application.

 

Councillor Nick Davies, Local Ward Councillor addressed the Committee and spoke against the application.

 

Application REFUSED contrary to officer recommendations for the following reason:

 

The proposal, in combination with existing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) within St Helens Avenue will result in a harmful concentration and intensification of HMOs in the street and wider area. This cumulative impact will result in damage to the character of the area and social cohesion with higher levels of transient residents and fewer long term households and established families.Such impact will lead in the long term to communities which are not balanced and self-sustaining. As a result the proposal is contrary to Policy HC5 criterion (ii) of the Swansea Unitary Development Plan (2008) and the National Policy aims set out in Planning Policy Wales (Edition 8 January 2016) of creating sustainable and inclusive mixed communities.

 

 

3) the undermentioned planning application BE DEFERRED for a Site Visit.

 

#(Item 10) Planning Application 2016/1604 - 3 Lewis Street, St. Thomas, Swansea

 

Additional late letter of objection reported.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An updated report was presented on behalf of the Head of Planning & City Regeneration.  The application had been deferred under the two stage voting process at the Planning committee held on 4 October so that further advice could be provided with regard to the potential reasons for refusal raised by Members.

 

The main issues relating to the potential reasons for the refusal were detailed in the report, as well as the advice relating to the lawfulness or otherwise of the reasons and the advice relating costs from the Welsh Office.

 

It was indicated that officer recommendation of approval remained unchanged.

 

Jayne Keeley (objector) addressed the committee and spoke against the application.

 

RESOLVED the undermentioned planning application BE REFUSED contrary to officer recommendations for the following reason:

 

The proposed use by virtue of the form and nature of the HMO accommodation proposed and its location in proximity to existing dwelling houses will result in a significant adverse effect upon the residential amenity of the street and area by virtue of noise, nuisance and disturbance and is contrary to the requirements of Policy HC5 criterion (i).

 

 

 

 

                                

An updated report was presented on behalf of the Head of Planning & City Regeneration which outlined the revised Supplementary Guidance (SPG) which will update the current guidance that was adopted in 2008.

 

RESOLVED that

 

1) the Protection of Trees on Development Sites October 2016” incorporating responses to the public consultation be approved as an update to “The Protection of Trees on Development Sites” (2008) SPG in the Unitary Development Plan.

 

2) the Protection of Trees on Development Sites October 2016” as           approved is included as Supplementary Planning Guidance in the Local Development Plan for adoption.”

 

 

An updated report was presented on behalf of the Head of Planning & City Regeneration which reported back on the public consultation exercise undertaken on the draft revised strategy.

 

The summary of the key objectives and principles context, the public consultation exercise undertaken and the assessment of the key issues arising from the consultation responses were outlined in the report.

 

RESOLVED that the revised Tall Buildings Strategy be forwarded to Planning Committee to be adopted as supplementary planning guidance and supersede the previous Tall Buildings Strategy (2008).