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 Declaration of Interest was made:

Councillor MC Voisey – Agenda item 8 – Planning application P/17/585/FUL – Personal interest as he owns a property and runs a business elsewhere on Bridgend Industrial Estate, which is not in the vicinity of the application site.   

To confirm a date of Wednesday 20 December 2017 (am) for proposed site inspections arising at the meeting, or identified in advance of the next Committee meeting by the Chairperson.

RESOLVED:                That a revised date of Tuesday 19 December 2017 be confirmed for proposed site inspections arising at the meeting or identified in advance of the next Committee meeting by the Chairperson.

To receive for approval the minutes of a meeting of the Development Control Committee dated 28 September 2017. 

RESOLVED:                That the Minutes of the meeting of the Development Control Committee of 28 September 2017, 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).

There were no public speakers.

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.

RESOLVED:                That 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:                That the Development Control Committee guidance as contained in the report of the Corporate Director – Communities be noted.

RESOLVED:           (1) That the application be referred to Council as a proposal that is a departure from the Development Plan that the Development Control Committee is not disposed to refuse based on the supporting information submitted with the application, the limited scale of the premises, the use of a physiotherapy clinic and studio only, sequential assessments of alternative sites and the operational requirements of the business;

                                (2) That if Council resolve to approve the proposal, the conditions contained in the report of the Corporate Director Communities be included on the retrospective consent (R64):-  

Proposal:

Change of use to Class D1 Physiotherapy clinic and studio

RESOLVED:           (1) That the applicant enter into a Section 106 Agreement to provide a financial contribution of £26,400 (index linked) to the re-phasing of the traffic signals at the site entrance (Asda/Coychurch Road) and the adjacent Coychurch Road/Tremains Road junctions so that they coincide with each other;

(2) That the Corporate Director Communities be given delegated power 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 conditions contained in the report of the Corporate Director Communities:

Proposal:

Change of use of part of store car park to a filling station and associated infrastructure

Note:

The following advisory note was added:

That the agent/applicant be requested to liaise with the Store Manager at Asda Bridgend to give careful consideration to the scheduling of deliveries to the Petrol Filling Station having regard to the proximity of the facility to residential properties at Coychurch Road Gardens and the potential disturbance to the occupiers of those properties.  

The Group Manager Development reported on the 2017 Annual Performance Report (APR).  He stated that the report provided an update on the direction of travel in terms of performance since last year and is derived from information supplied to the Welsh Government and Wales Data Unit which in turn formed part of the national planning performance framework.  He informed the Committee that despite having one of the smallest planning teams in Wales, Bridgend continues to be one of the top performing planning authorities in Wales.  Despite the number of planning staff reducing by almost half in recent times, the number of planning applications, particularly major schemes has slightly increased.  He summarised the key points arising from the APR.

The Group Manager Development reported there had been another change in customer satisfaction levels, in that 62% of respondents thought Bridgend gave good planning advice against a Welsh average of 57%.  This compared to Bridgend’s performance in 2016 when 48% of respondents thought Bridgend gave good planning advice against a Welsh average of 57% and in 2015, when 74% of survey respondents agreed that the Local Planning Authority gave good advice, against a Welsh average of 62%.  The increase was attributed to a number of factors such as an efficient and valued pre-application advice process. 

The Committee questioned whether there is scope to apply a surcharge on applicants where they apply for retrospective planning consent to act as an incentive for applicants to apply for planning consent before commencing development.  The Group Manager Development informed the Committee that legislation does not permit a surcharge to be applied to retrospective planning applications.  He stated there had been discussions with the WLGA, Welsh Government and Royal Town Planning Institute on proposals for the full cost recovery in the determination of planning applications.           

RESOLVED:                    (1) That the Committee noted the content of the report and the Local Planning Authority’s Annual Performance Report for 2016/17;

(2) That a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on a proposal that a letter be sent by the Committee to the Environment Minister and Assembly Members that a surcharge be applied to retrospective planning applications.       

The Development Planning Team Leader presented the report of the Corporate Director Communities on the findings of the Local Development Plan 2017 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR).  He stated that the aim of the AMR is to assess the extent to which the LDP Strategy and Policies are being achieved.  It has two primary roles, firstly to consider whether the policies identified in the monitoring process are being implemented successfully and secondly to consider the plan as a whole against all of the information gathered to determine whether a complete or partial review of the plan is necessary. 

The Development Planning Team Leader reported on the key findings of the AMR process and stated that the overall LDP strategy had been successful, delivering many benefits to communities.  Most of the housing sites and associated infrastructure allocated in the LDP have been delivered with the exception of a few challenging brownfield sites that have stalled due to a combination of viability issues and in some cases, land ownership issues.  However a number of key provision policy targets are not being met which indicates that these policies are not functioning as intended.  He informed the Committee that a recent assessment had shown that the County Borough has housing and land supply against the housing requirement of the LDP of 4 years.  He stated that it was imperative that the Local Planning Authority progresses with the statutory review of the LDP which will address the shortfall in housing land supply and facilitate the identification / allocation of additional housing land.  The replacement LDP will assist in seeking to avoid ‘planning by appeal’ and ad-hoc development coming forward outside the development plan system and not in accordance with Plan’s strategy. 

The Development Planning Team Leader reported that whilst the level of growth in some areas is slower than anticipated, evidence collected through the monitoring process clearly suggests that good progress is being made in the delivery of the majority of LDP targets. 

The Development Planning Team Leader reported that the next steps in the process would be for the AMR to be reported to Council.  He stated that the Plan would continue to be monitored on an annual basis through the preparation of successive AMRs.  He informed the Committee that the Regulations governing the production of LDPs allow for a ‘selective review’, which would allow for a partial review to cover issues associated with the housing land supply and site selection.  He also informed the Committee that the Council is required to commence a full review of the LDP every four years and in order to meet statutory requirements it would have to commence in early 2018.  He stated that it was therefore necessary and a statutory requirement for a review to be commenced to cover all aspects of the LDP in order to fully assess the nature and scale of revisions that might be required.  He also informed the Committee that a full review will assist in meeting 2021 deadline for having an adopted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

The Development and Building Control Manager reported on appeals received and appeals which had been decided since the last meeting of the Committee. 

RESOLVED:                      (1) That the following Appeals received since the last Committee meeting be noted:-

Code No.                           Subject of Appeal

A/17/3186793 (1815)        Use Of Land For The Stationing Of A Mobile Home For  Residential Purposes – Land at Minffrwd Lakes, Rhiwceiliog, Pencoed

A/17/3186945 (1816)       Change Use Of Single Residential Dwelling (C3) To 10 Bedroom Assisted Living Care Home (C2) & Associated Works Including Conversion Of Garage Into 3 Bedrooms, Existing Annex Into 2 Self Contained Units, Infill Porch Extension - North Lodge, Penyfai

A/17/3184080 (1817)       Demolition & Replacement Of An Existing Bungalow With 3 Two Storey Detached Dwellings  - Summerville Bungalow, Heol Las, Mawdlam

A/17/3187606 (1818)       Proposed Kennels & Cattery & Temporary Dwelling: Ty Risha Farm, Pen Y Cae, Penyfai

                                         (2) That the Inspector appointed by Welsh Ministers to determine the following Appeal, has directed that the following Appeal be ALLOWED SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS:

Code No.                          Subject of Appeal

A/17/3167313 (1794)       Extension To Provide Additional Class A1 Retail Floorspace (1 Unit) - Next To Unit 6/7 Waterton Retail Park, Bridgend

(3) That the following Appeal had been withdrawn by the appellant:

Code No.                         Subject of Appeal

D/17/3181332 (1810)      New Detached Domestic Garage to Replace Existing Detached Domestic Garage – 16A Danycoed, Blackmill 

The Group Manager Development reported on an updated training log.

RESOLVED:            That the report of the Corporate Director Communities 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

There were no urgent items.