Agenda item

To consider an application for retention of and change of use of agricultural building to allow wood processing and use of yard for wood storage (retrospective application) at fields south-west of Borth Crossroads, Abergele (copy attached).

An application was submitted for retention of and change of use of agricultural building to allow wood processing and use of yard for wood storage (retrospective application) at fields south-west of Borth Crossroads, Abergele.

Public Speaker –

Mr. B. Owen (For) – explained the operation of the business and benefits in terms of local employment and the rural economy.  Responded to (1) noise concerns arguing minimal impact and acceptance by Pollution Control Officers, and (2) highway concerns arguing agricultural use would generate higher levels of vehicle use and that mitigation measures would be implemented to address concerns.

General Debate – The Development Manager drew attention to additional information as detailed on the supplementary papers circulated at the meeting and detailed the planning history of the site to the best of officers knowledge.  He explained the issue under consideration was whether the use of the building, vehicular access and site were suitable and acceptable for a wood processing business.  Despite noise concerns the Pollution Control Officer considered that noise from wood processing itself would not justify refusal because levels could be controlled through conditions.  Notwithstanding that agricultural use was the fall-back position, officers considered the use for wood processing would give rise to unacceptable impacts on highway safety which had been detailed within the report.

Councillor Arwel Roberts reported upon the site visit undertaken on 12 September 2016.  He referred to numerous accidents on the carriageway and considered the site access/egress to be very dangerous.  He believed granting the application would exacerbate the situation and agreed with officers that the application should be refused on highway safety grounds.  Consequently Councillor Roberts proposed that the application be refused in accordance with officer recommendation.

Councillor Alice Jones (Local Member) elaborated upon the planning history of the site from 2004 and highlighted the owners disregard for planning regulations and procedures since then with no serious use of the site for agricultural purposes.  She also raised concerns regarding the retrospective planning application and proposed change of use from agricultural to wood processing/manufacturing and highlighted the objections from nearby residents.  Councillor Jones supported the officer recommendation for refusal on highway grounds and felt there was no basis to the applicant’s argument that agricultural use would generate higher volume of vehicles given that there had been little or no agricultural use in the past and unlikely to be in the future.  However she asked that consideration also be given to noise and residential amenity and the loss of agricultural land as valid planning reasons for refusal of the application.  The Chair advised that the reasons for not including those planning grounds had been detailed within the report.  Consequently Councillor Alice Jones seconded the proposal by Councillor Arwel Roberts that the application be refused in accordance with officer recommendation.

Members discussed further the material planning considerations with officers and sought clarification regarding a number of issues.  With regard to highways further questions were raised regarding the applicant’s argument that the fall-back use of the site for agricultural purposes could result in a higher volume of vehicle movements and whether there was evidence to support the highway safety grounds in terms of accidents recorded, particularly given that it was a retrospective application.  Questions were also raised regard the planning policies around change of use from agriculture to manufacturing, definition of the wood processing operation and whether it could be classed as a farm diversification project.

Officers responded to comments and questions as follows –

·         elaborated upon the planning policies regarding potential change of agricultural use advising that the commercial use of redundant buildings was permitted in planning policy terms providing evidence was submitted in that regard – that proof had not been submitted and operation of the wood processing business had commenced without planning consent, hence the retrospective application

·         referred to the highways assessment, including the swept path analysis, and conclusions that there would be an adverse effect on highway safety resulting in the recommendation that the application be refused.  There had been six recorded accidents since operation of the wood processing business but it was accepted that not all accidents were reported.  Officers also considered that resuming agricultural use of the site would have minimal impact given the size of the field whereas operation of the wood processing business would result in increased traffic generation and adverse impact on highway safety

·         members’ attention was drawn to the business case for the development as detailed within the report regarding the operation of the business and nature of the wood processing use with regard to the application in question

·         elaborated further on the previous planning history and explained the reasoning behind refusal of the planning application in November 2015.

Proposal – Councillor Arwel Roberts proposed the officer recommendation to refuse the application, seconded by Councillor Alice Jones.

VOTE:

GRANT – 6

REFUSE – 16

ABSTAIN – 0

RESOLVED that permission be REFUSED, in accordance with officer recommendation as detailed within the report.