To receive apologies for absence from Members / Officers for the reasons so stated

Apologies for absence were received from the following Member for the reason so stated:-

Councillor D Sage – Hospital appointment

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.

Declarations of interest were received from the following Members:-

Councillor N Clarke – P/15/429/FUL – Personal interest as a member of Porthcawl Town Council who takes no part in planning matters.

Councillor J C Spanswick – P/15/429/FUL – Prejudicial interest as he was a board member on V2 Coast who owned the land in question. Councillor Spanswick left the meeting whilst this item was discussed.

Councillor R C Jones – P/15/429/FUL – Prejudicial interest as she owned property in the vicinity of the application site. Councillor Jones left the meeting whilst the item was discussed.

Councillor G W Davies – P/15/214/FUL – Prejudicial interest as Interim Clerk of Garw Valley Community Council who had previously discussed the application. He also personally knew 3 or 4 persons who had objected to the application.

To confirm a date of Wednesday 6 January 2016 for proposed site inspections arising at the meeting, or identified in advance of the next Committee meeting by the Chairperson.

RESOLVED:                   That the date for site inspections (if any) arising from the meeting or identified in advance of the next meeting of the Committee by the Chairperson, was confirmed as 6 January 2016

To receive and confirm the Minutes of a meeting of the Development Control Committee dated 15 October 2015

RESOLVED:                  That the Minutes of a meeting of the Development Control Committee dated 15 October 2015, be approved as a true and accurate record.

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

The Chairperson read out for the benefit of those present, the names of the public speakers addressing the following application which was considered at the meeting:-

Name                               Planning Application No:            Reason for Speaking

J Robertson                     P/15/429/FUL                             Objector

C Johnson                       P/15/429/FUL                             Applicant

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.

The Group Manager Development advised that in accordance with  new procedures , and following the Chairperson’s consent, Members had received the Amendment Sheet  following the Site Visit as an urgent item in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council’s Procedure Rules, in order to allow for the Committee to consider modifications to the Committee report, so as to take account of any late representations and revisions that require to be accommodated

RESOLVED:                That the following Planning Application be deferred to the next scheduled meeting at the request of the applicant’s Agent, in order that all outstanding issues are reviewed and addressed, including outcomes relating to the undertaking of a Noise Survey:-

Code No.                      Proposal

P/15/368/OUT              Land at Parc Ewenni, Ewenny Industrial Estate, Bridgend – Construction of up to 240 Res. Units, 1123M.SQ of A1/A2/A3/D1/D2 Development, Public Open Space & Highway works

RESOLVED:                     That the following Planning Application be granted, subject to the Conditions contained in the report of the Corporate Director – Communities:-

Code No.                          Proposal

P/15/429/FUL                   Communal area adjacent to 35, Pwll-Y-Waun, Porthcawl – Remove existing grass communal area provide 4 No. visitors Off Street Parking & associated works

RESOLVED:                  That the following Planning Application be granted, subject to the Conditions contained in the report of the Corporate Director – Communities:-

Code No.                         Proposal

P/15/214/FUL                 Harden House, 115 Oxford Street, Pontycymmer – Convert Offices to 6 No. 3 Storey Dwellings

                                       Subject to the additional Condition 6:-

                                  6.  The two parking spaces to the south east of the building shall be retained for the parking of residents vehicles in perpetuity.

                                       Reason: To ensure that the on-site parking spaces are available for use by the future occupiers of the dwellings

RESOLVED:                     That the following Planning Application be granted, subject to the Conditions contained in the report of the Corporate Director – Communities:-

Code No.                           Proposal

P/15/351/FUL                    Greyfriars Barn, Clevis Hill, Porthcawl - Conversion and extension of existing Barn and Outbuildings to create a dwelling

RESOLVED:                    (1)   That the following Appeal received as outlined in the report of the Corporate Director – Communities be noted:-

Code No.                                 Subject of Appeal

A/15/3136250 (1762)               A small scale standby electricity generation plant in individual sound proof containers: Land north west side of Coity Road, Bridgend.

                                         (2)    That the Inspector appointed by Welsh Ministers to determine the following Appeal, has directed that the Appeal be DISMISSED (See Appendix A to the report)

Code No.                                  Subject of Appeal

A/15/3128677 (1757)               Proposed construction of 2 No. bedroom dormer bungalow – Resub of P/14/687/FUL: Land adj. 16A Danycoed, Blackmill

                                         (3)   That the Inspector appointed by Welsh Ministers to determine the following Appeal, has directed that the Appeal be ALLOWED, subject to Conditions (See Appendix B to the report)

Code No.                                 Subject of Appeal

A/15/3121472 (1758)               Convert 6 No. Stables to 2 No. Self-Contained Holiday Units: Ar Graig, Laleston

The Corporate Director – Communities submitted a report, which advised Members that from the 1 January 2016 all new homes, and homes created by a ‘Material Change of Use’ in Wales will be required by the Welsh Building Regulations to be fitted with an automatic fire suppression system.

The requirement is specific to new homes, although the requirement has been in place for Care Homes and other residences that are used for sleeping accommodation since April 2014.

The requirement also has created work opportunities, with Neath Port Talbot College are currently operating upgrading courses for plumbers as well as re-skilling courses for individuals in the installation of the systems.

The Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Carl Sargeant, announced a Welsh Government funded programme for the design and installation of fire sprinklers in social housing.  The scheme has been operating for nearly a year looking at the;

·         Design & installation

·         Costs & cost savings

·         Water supply issues

·         Application of statutory guidance

·         Experience of all key stakeholders

The Group Manager Development concluded the report by outlining certain background legislation in relation to the Regulations.

RESOLVED:                         That the report be noted.

The Development Planning Manager presented a report, and outlined that this was the first Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) of the Local Development Plan (LDP) to be submitted to Welsh Government since the Plan’s adoption. It was a statutory requirement, for this to be submitted by 31^st October each year.

Its function she explained, was to monitor whether the Council’s land-use policies are being successfully implemented. Policies are considered against the monitoring framework set out in Chapter 7 of the LDP the Development Planning Manager added.

The AMR was required to identify policies that are not being properly implemented, and to outline the reasons why and what action is required to remediate this, and whether it is necessary to start on an early revision of the Plan, due to non-implementation.

Some reasons for non-implementation are out of the Council’s control and these additional factors are also set out in the document to give some context she advised.

Specifically the AMR needs to set out housing land supply and the number of additional houses built in the preceding year.

Some of the key findings of the AMR, were:-

-       From the Joint Housing Land Availability Study 582 new homes have been built – representing a land supply of 5.4 years.

-       Since 2009, 880 affordable units have been built 588 of which are for general needs.

-       Only 0.45 hectares of employment land has been taken up on allocated sites.  Although this does not represent the underlying health of the local economy as the number of ‘jobs’ has risen. 

-       Vacancy rates for our town centres are below 15%.  7.7% for Porthcawl, 14.4% for Bridgend, and 10.8% for Maesteg (survey date was October 2014).

-       Many LDP town centre schemes have been completed or are progressing e.g. Maesteg Outdoor Market and the Rhiw Development.

-       A significant contribution is being made to national renewable energy targets, with wind generating capacity at almost 80mw, higher than estimated for the ‘Strategic Search Area’ near Evanstown. 

The evidence suggests that a review of the LDP is not required at this time she stated, but was scheduled for 2017.

RESOLVED:                         That the report be noted.

        The Development Planning Manager presented a report, confirming that this Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) was being brought back to Committee after consultation at the end of last year.

        She confirmed that 6 organisations made representations to this, and each comment has been considered and were included at Appendix A in the document, with no changes being recommended as a result of the receipt of these.

The document provided guidance on the relative sensitivities of BCBC’s varied landscapes, the 15 character areas, to wind and solar renewable energy proposals, and acted as a first ‘step’ in helping to direct developments to least sensitive landscapes.

The SPG stated however, that it was strategic level guidance and each proposal would be assessed on its own merits.

The document will be useful evidence she explained, in the case of the appeal hearing for the Caerau proposal for a solar farm.

      The Officer responded to certain questions from Members on the content of the  report, following which, it was

      RESOLVED:                That the Committee

(1)        Considered the representations, endorsed the suggested reasoned responses and approved the decisions and actions (not to amend the document as a result of consultation).

Recommended that Council adopts SPG20 – Renewables in the Landscape as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the adopted Bridgend Local Development Plan

The Corporate Director – Communities submitted a report, that advised Members that in addition to the preparation of an SPG relating to Recreation and Residential Development in the new year, work was also progressing on 2 other SPG’s, namely:-

·         Safeguarding Retail Services

·         Landscape and Local Character: A Green Infrastructure Approach

The report also advised that work would also progress on updating the Council’s suite of design guidance documents, where SPG2 – Householder Development, and SPG 8 – Residential Development Design Guides, etc were to be combined to form one SPG.

Members were asked to nominate participants onto Working Groups to progress these SPG’s, which would be brought forward in the new year.

RESOLVED:                     That the following Members be nominated to sit on the under mentioned Working Groups to progress the stated SPG’s:-

Safeguarding Retail Services

Councillor R C Jones

Councillor N Clarke

Councillor J H Tildesley

Landscape and Local Character: A Green Infrastructure Approach

Councillor J C Spanswick

Councillor M Thomas

Householder Development/Residential Development and Design Guidelines

Councillor R C Jones

Councillor G Thomas

RESOLVED:                That the report of the Corporate Director – Communities outlining forthcoming training activities for Members, 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