Agenda item

To consider an application for the erection of 3 affordable dwellings and 1 open market dwelling with a detached double garage. Formation of 2 vehicular accesses and visibility splays, Provision of associated car parking, landscaping and the Iistallation of 2 package treatment Plants, a ground source heat pump and rainwater harvesting system at land adjoining Marllwyn, Groesffordd Marli, Abergele (copy attached).

 

 

An application was submitted for the Erection of 3 affordable dwellings and 1 open market dwelling a detached double garage. Formation of 2 vehicular accesses and visibility splays, Provision of associated car parking, landscaping and the Installation of 2 package treatment Plants, a ground source heat pump and rainwater harvesting system at Land Adjoining Marllwyn, Groesffordd Marli Abergele.

 

Public Speaker –

 

Gordon Kenyon (For) - I represent the applicants Mr and Mrs Salt in this matter.

 

Mr & Mrs Salt have lived at Marllwyn, Groesffordd Marli for more 25 years and have raised their family there. They are now in their sixties and looking towards retirement. They wish to stay in Groesffordd Marli and to downsize to a smaller energy efficient dwelling more suited to their retirement needs. Their proposed new home would be constructed on land which they own adjoining Marllwyn. The dwelling has been designed with mature living and energy efficiency in mind. It incorporates energy saving measures and a ground floor bedroom.

 

As result of their large ownership, Mr & Mrs Salt are also able to offer to construct 3 affordable houses for people in local need. They would themselves construct the affordable units and their own new dwelling. Their existing house would be used to secure finance for construction of all 4 units. The affordable units would then be rented at discounted affordable rent, or disposed of at discounted price, to people in local need. Their existing house would then be sold to clear the finance.

 

The applicants are happy to enter into a legal agreement securing the affordable housing provision for local affordable need in perpetuity. Occupants will be required to have a strong local connection to a specified local area or community council area or areas. They are also happy to be bound to have the affordable units ready for occupation prior to occupation of their own new dwelling.

 

The site was within the area of search for affordable housing provision within the hamlet as defined in Policy BSC6. The development proposed would be within overall growth levels set for the hamlet in that policy. Provision of the affordable housing would clearly be in accord with the spirit of that policy. The proposal would also help secure vitality of the local community and local services, including the local primary school. The dwellings would be sited adjacent to the existing cluster of development and would represent no more than rounding off or logical extension of the existing hamlet.

 

There was clear unmet need for affordable housing locally, with registered interest for family housing on both the affordable and social housing registers for Cefn Meiradog, Trefnant and Bodelwyddan. There will also be additional families in need who are not on the register. It was widely acknowledged that there was significant need for affordable housing throughout Denbighshire at present time and also a very significant shortfall in housing land availability generally within the County. The Local Housing Market Assessment 2019 identified a need for 775 additional affordable homes for the period 2018 to 2023, equating to a need of 155 units a year. These are not being provided and 57% of newly emerging households are unable to rent or buy on the open market. It was however widely acknowledged and accepted that, notwithstanding the provisions of Policy BSC6, affordable housing in the hamlets was unlikely to materialise in the absence of market housing provision which can cross-fund such provision.

 

With all that in mind, this application was surely a no-brainer. At a time of acknowledged and demonstrated need for both affordable and market housing, this opportunity was surely too good to miss. The applicants propose provision of 3 affordable units cross-funded effectively by provision of a single open market unit. Under usual affordable housing policy provisions, many more open market dwellings would be required to cross-fund provision of just 1 affordable unit. In recommending refusal of this application, officers seem to largely ignore considerations of weight which clearly suggest that planning permission should be granted. They suggest that the application was somehow speculative. However, this was not a site that was so remote and isolated that no one in need would wish to live there - it was a site that was actually situated in a relatively sustainable location close to other settlements. The risk of these properties having to revert to open market dwellings was virtually non-existent.

 

In conclusion, there was clear and acknowledged evidence of significant demand for affordable housing in the local area which was not being addressed and which was only likely to increase in coming months and years. This was a proposal offering significant community benefit which, quite simply, was too good to miss. I would very much hope, for sake of the local community and all those in affordable housing need, that your decision today will reflect that view! With regard to issues of design and materials of the dwellings proposed, I can again confirm that the applicants would be more than willing to consider revised proposals if considered necessary. I trust therefore that you will recognise the clear and obvious merit in the scheme and feel able to support the applicant’s generous proposals.

 

General debate –

 

Planning officers reminded members of the additional information presented within the late representation papers (blue sheets).

 

Meirick Lloyd Davies (local member) –thanked the committee for being allowed to speak, however wanted to highlight some corrections within the report, the community council should be Cefn Meiriadog and not Trefnant. It was outlined that there was a need for affordable housing in rural areas, this would allow people to stay and support their local areas.

 

Officers raised the speculative nature of the 3 affordable dwellings without an established need for them in the area, poses a greater risk that they may become market dwellings in the future. The LDP aims to control development in the open countryside and Officers consider the risk of speculative affordable housing becoming market housing outside of development boundaries was too high in this instance.

 

Members queried the issues with Dwr Cymru on the site, and whether these had been rectified, they also sought clarity if this development was permitted could more houses be developed in the area. Members also queried with officers if it was likely that traffic could occur in the area during peak times.

 

Proposal – Gwyneth Kensler proposed we grant the application contrary to officer recommendation seconded by Councillor Mabon ap Gwynfor.

 

Officers informed the committee that the issue with the application was that it included affordable housing however, there was no current evidence of need for affordable housing in the area. The applicants had not justified the proposal against the relevant policies in the LDP. There was no evidence that this development would impact upon highway safety even with regard to peak time traffic at the nearby school. With regards to Dwr Cymru, there was a water main running underneath the site, if the application was granted this would need to be looked at further.

 

Officers queried with Councillor Gwyneth Kenlser and Mabon Ap Gwynfor, for reasoning behind proposing to grant the application contrary to officer recommendations.

 

Members clarified they believed the matter would not have an impact on visual amenities in the area, and that the need for affordable housing outweighed the loss of grade 2 agricultural land.

 

Prior to going to the vote officer read out the Local Housing Strategy Officer Comments on the development –

 

“The Tai Teg Register shows there was demand for 2 x 3 bedroom houses in the neighbouring hamlet of Cefn Meiriadog as intermediate rental, which is in the same ward, but there were no applicants for Groesfordd Marli itself. There was no one on the social housing list at all who had asked for Cefn Meiriadog/Groesfordd Marli as a first choice area. This indicates that demand for the hamlet was very low.

 

The hamlets policy was quite clear that speculative building in the area was not allowed by the policy (market housing in hamlets is not permitted at all) and developers have to establish there is an identified need for affordable housing. Our policy was explicit in stating that ‘Applicants will be required to provide evidence in support of the proposed occupant’s local connection, accommodation need and financial eligibility’. Although the applicant’s state there is a need in the hamlet, they have provided no evidence to support it. Details of the proposed occupants are required under the policy.

 

Registered Social Landlords would not be interested in taking on these properties without the provision of grant, as they feel demand is too low and the risk of occupancy voids which would cost them money to be too great.

 

Without the details of the proposed occupants for the affordable dwellings Strategic

 

Housing & Planning could not support the application as it essentially a speculative build, which under the hamlets policy is not permitted. Building in hamlets is for an identified need to ensure the sustainability of the community, this has not been proven in their proposal, a speculative build of 3 affordable houses for the area does run the risk of defaulting to market housing if the proposed occupants are not clearly identified and satisfy income and housing need criteria.

 

Vote –

Grant - 4

Abstain - 1

Refuse – 13

 

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