To receive apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members:-

Councillor T Thomas

Councillor R Collins

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers including those who are also Town and Community Councillors, in accordance with the provisions of the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008. Members having such dual roles should declare a personal interest in respect of their membership of such Town/Community Council and a prejudicial interest if they have taken part in the consideration of an item at that Town/Community Council contained in the Officer’s Reports below.

The following declarations of interest were made:-

Councillor JC Spanswick – Personal interest in Agenda item 9. in that he was a member of Brackla Community Council

Councillor JP Blundell – Prejudicial interest in Agenda item 10. in that he lived nearby the application site. He left the meeting whilst this item was being considered.

To confirm a date of 14/03/17 for proposed site inspections arising at the meeting, or identified in advance of the next Committee meeting by the Chairperson.

RESOLVED:           That a date of 14 March 2018 be confirmed for any proposed site inspections arising at the meeting, or identified in advance of the next Committee by the Chairperson.

To receive for approval the minutes of the 21/12/2017 

RESOLVED:            That the Minutes of a meeting of a meeting of the Development Control Committee dated 21 December 2017.

To advise Members of the names of the public speakers listed to speak at today’s meeting (if any).

There were no public speakers listed to speak at today’s meeting.

That the Chairperson accepts the Development Control Committee Amendment Sheet as an urgent item in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules, in order to allow for Committee to consider necessary modifications to the Committee Report, so as to take account of late representations and revisions that require to be accommodated (Refer to Agenda Item 16).

RESOLVED:           The Chairperson accepted the Development Control Committee Amendment Sheet as an urgent item in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules, in order to allow for the Committee to consider necessary modifications to the Committee report, so as to take account of late representations and revisions that are required to be accommodated.

RESOLVED:      (1)   That having regard to the following application, the applicant enters into a Section 106 Agreement to provide a financial contribution for the sum of £6500 (index linked) to fund changes to the MOVA system and staging arrangement of the A4063 signalised junction:-

                                  Proposal

                                  Demolition of existing retail foodstore and its replacement with a new retail foodstore (Use Class A1), together with the rearrangement of the car parking, external areas and servicing arrangements.

                           (2)   That the Corporate Director Communities be given delegated powers to issue a decision notice granting consent in respect of this proposal once the applicant has entered into the aforementioned S106 Agreement, subject to the Conditions contained in his report.

                                  Subject to the last sentence of Condition 1 of the report being amended to refer to Drawing No. 010001 Revision 5 received on 19 January 2018, for the avoidance of doubt as to the nature and extent of the approved scheme, and to the inclusion of the following Note O:-

                                   “The applicant is advised that the approved scheme should be implemented in accordance with recommendations outlined in Section 8 of the Preliminary Ecology Assessment and Bat Survey and attention should be given to the lighting strategy around the replacement store to avoid any significant adverse residual impacts on biodiversity.”

RESOLVED:      (1)   That having regard to the following application, the applicant enters into a Section 106 Agreement to provide a minimum of (20%) 2 units as affordable housing units in accordance with Supplementary Planning Guidance 12 in perpetuity:-

                                  Proposal

                                  Residential development of 10 affordable housing units, car parking, access, open space and associated works

                          (2)    That the Corporate Director Communities be given delegated power to issue a decision notice granting permission for the development subject to the Conditions contained in his report.

                                   Subject also to the following:-

                                  ‘An additional Condition will be added to the recommendation seeking details of the finished floor levels of the development in relation to existing floor/site levels of the existing bungalows, and a cross section across the site and the adjoining bungalows.’

                                   That Condition 11 of the report be partly amended so as to refer to a Locally Equipped Area of Play (LEAP)

RESOLVED:       (1)  That having regard to the following application, the applicant enters into a Deed of Variation or supplemental S106 Obligation to confirm that all the obligations in the existing Section 106 Agreement, apply to the Section 73 consent:-

                                   Proposal

                                   Variation of Condition 14 of P/15/358/OUT to increase  the number of residential units to 200

                            (2)  That the Corporate Director Communities be given delegated powers to issue a decision notice granting consent in respect of this proposal, once the applicant has entered into the aforementioned Section 106 Agreement, subject to the standard outline Conditions, and the Conditions contained in his report.

                                  Subject also to the following amendment:-

                                  ‘That the terms of the S106 Agreement with regards to the education contribution be amended to refer to primary and/or secondary school places to leave it applicable to all school places.’

The Development and Building Control Manager presented a report, on Appeals received and Appeals decided upon, since the last Committee meeting.

RESOLVED:       (1)  That the following Appeal received since the last meeting, be noted:-

Code No                    Subject of Appeal

D/17/3190447(1820)   Re-furbishment of existing dwelling, new entrance porch, raise height of roof to accommodate loft conversion/second floor, vehicle parking Maesgwyn House, 63 Blackmill Road, Bryncethin.

                            (2)    That the Inspector(s) appointed by Welsh Ministers to determine the following Appeals has directed that the Appeals be DISMISSED (and the Enforcement Notice for the first Appeal below, be upheld):-

Code No                      Subject of Appeals

C/17/3179866(1808)   Unauthorised use for Accountancy business, 2 Tythegston Close, Nottage, Porthcawl.

A/17/3184080(1817)    Demolition and replacement of an existing bungalow with 3 two storey detached dwellings, Summerville Bungalow, Heol Las, Mawdlam

                           (3)     That the Inspector appointed by a Welsh Minister to determine the following Appeal has directed that it be ALLOWED, subject to Conditions:-

Code No                      Subject of Appeal

A/17/3186945(1816)   Change of use of single residential dwelling (C3) into a 10 bedroom assisted living care home (C2) and associated works, including conversion of garage into 3 bedrooms, existing annex into 2 self-contained units and infill porch extension, North Lodge, Penyfai.

The Group Manager Development presented a report detailing the up and coming Training sessions scheduled for Members in the coming months as part of their training development programme.

Members agreed that sessions also be arranged in addition to the 3 outlined in the report, covering the following areas:-

·         Energy Efficiency

·         S106 Agreements (to include Education/Highways contributions and any other relevant contributions)

·         Local Development Plan

RESOLVED:             That the report be noted.

The Development Planning Manager presented a report together with attached Appendices 1 and 2, regarding an update on the response to the Cabinet Secretary, Lesley Griffiths letters regarding her invitation to undertake Joint Local Development Plans and a regional Strategic Development Plan.

The Cabinet Secretary has invited positive responses to the invitation to be submitted by 28^th February 2018. Until such time Welsh Government will not agree to the progression of any plan individually.  

With respect to Joint Local Plans, the invitation is to give serious consideration to preparing a joint plan with RCT and Caerphilly Council’s.

The timing of the letters have significant implications for Bridgend given the imperative to start work immediately on a Review of its LDP which will expire in 2021.  An up-to-date development plan is important to guide sustainable development and promote investment opportunities and prevent inappropriate development. 

In order to determine the most appropriate way forward, that will maintain plan coverage and the best planning outcomes, a number of realistic options are considered and risk assessed, and it is intended that this will inform this Council’s response to the Minister.

The following options were being considered she explained:-

1.    Preparation of a SDP only with no individual reviews of our existing LDP until the SDP is adopted.

2.    Individual Review of the LDP whilst simultaneously working collaboratively on the SDP with the region.

3.    Collaboration ‘Plus’ with an individual review of Bridgend’s LDP whilst working simultaneously with RCT (and other LPAs) to prepare a joint evidence base and also with the region to prepare a SDP. 

4.    A Joint LDP with RCT and Caerphilly whilst simultaneously working collaborating with the region to prepare a SDP.

5.    A Joint LDP with just RCT whilst simultaneously working collaboratively with the region to prepare a SDP.

Each option was outlined and considered in the report (paragraph 1.9 referred), and what is emerging from the exercise and views across the region is that there are benefits and widespread support across the region to prepare a SDP.  However, there are risks to Bridgend if, as under Option 1, we were to forego preparation of an LDP, given that there would be a likely policy vacuum beyond 2021 up until the time the SDP is adopted and work can progress in earnest on LDP ‘lites’.

 It is also emerging from this exercise and across the region that there are considerable risks and complications and no appetite to progress Joint LDPs.  For Bridgend, there would still be a policy vacuum given the complexity of preparing Joint Plans, which are not likely to be in place before 2021, as outlined in Options 4 and 5.

The most favourable Options are 2 and 3, where Bridgend simultaneously works on its LDP Review and also works collaboratively on the SDP.  Option 3 – Collaboration ‘Plus’ is likely to be the most cost effective and expedient, with a replacement LDP in place by the critical date of 2021.

The report details why it is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

The Corporate Director Operational and |Partnership Services submitted a report, in order to note the results of a second timings of meetings survey recently undertaken at the request of Members of the Committee, and to propose any revision to the timings of its meetings to be included in the development of the future Calendar of Meetings planned to be presented to Council in May 2018.

The survey was carried out on 5 January 2017 and completed by all Members of the Committee, the results of which were shown in paragraph 4.2 of the report. This revealed that the preferred starting time of future meetings be at 2.00pm.

Any change put in place as a result of the survey, could have in turn, an effect upon timings of the Committee pre-meetings, training log sessions and the Committee’s Site Inspections, and possible options for the timing of these was debated at the meeting.

RESOLVED:                (1)    That Members noted the outcome of the Development Control Committee timings of meetings survey.

                                     (2)    That any revision to the timings of its meetings be included in the development of the future Calendar of Meetings planned to be presented to Council in May 2018.

The Group Manager Development presented a report on the above; a factual public document that outlines how a local planning authority has performed against set indicators identifying what it did well, so that this can be shared with others, and what steps might be taken to address areas of performance in need of improvement.

He then gave a resume of the report, and advised Members that broadly, performance of the local planning authority against the majority of indicators had improved for the above period, when compared to the 2015-16 reporting period. Bridgend’s performance was indicated as being generally at or above average across the board for this period, and examples of its performance across a number of different areas were detailed in bullet point format within the report.

A Member felt it would be an advantage for the public, if a customer services desk was re-introduced in the Department.

The Group Manager Development advised that cutbacks in staffing could not allow for this, though general advice on planning matters could be obtained from the Customer Services section of BCBC at the main entrance to the Civic Offices building.

Members applauded staff in the Planning Department on their performance for 2016-2017, particularly when considering the level of staffing cuts it had faced since the recession.

RESOLVED:                    That the content of the report of the Corporate Director Communities and the All Wales Planning Performance Report 2016-2017, be noted.

To consider any other item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None.