Agenda item

To consider an application for the Conversion of chapel to form dwelling including the demolition and rebuilding of vestry building and erection of single storey extension, formation of vehicular access, parking area and associated works (copy attached).

An application was submitted for the conversion of chapel to form dwelling including the demolition and rebuilding of vestry building and erection of single storey extension, formation of vehicular access, parking area and associated works.

 

Public Speaker – Nigel Heckman (for) had submitted an application for the change of use of Tremeirchion Chapel. Mr Heckman and his wife were long standing residents of Tremeirchion, were not property developers and were wanting to create a residential property for their own use.

 

Currently the property had a planning category of D1 use, which meant the applicant could utilise the property as a day nursey or creche along with many other uses without bringing an application to the Planning Committee. The applicant’s submittal of change of use to a residential property would have a significant decrease in the impact on highways and the environment.

 

During the past 12 months, since the application was submitted to the Planning Department, many objections had been received. Meetings had been held with the Highways Officer and the plans had been amended to accommodate Officer recommendations. No objections had been received with regards to the visual impact of the property from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The drainage systems on the proposed plans had been given the approval from Natural Resources Wales and previous plans had been amended to the approval of the Ecology Officer and a license would be obtained from Natural Resources Wales to protect the bats, birds and other species.

 

Objections had been received regarding the property shading a neighbouring property. The plans submitted met planning and building regulations, and the vestry gable wall would be retained in addition to a 3ft roadside wall to offer further protection to the neighbour.

 

Taking all the points raised above and the significant changes made to the planning application over the past 12 months the applicant asked the Planning Committee to vote in favour of the planning application.

 

Public Speaker – Bethan Owens (against) Thanked the Committee for allowing her to speak at the meeting against the planning application.

 

Attention was drawn to the application submitted on the 4 November 2023 and the inaccuracies it contained.

 

In the Design and Access Statement from the 29 May 2024 some inaccuracies within the location plan and the block plan stated that drainage would be via a new domestic waste suage plant however, this information did not correspond to the latest submitted information. It was understood that under Welsh Planning Law, applications were considered invalid if they contained missing or inaccurate information and were discounted until the accuracies were corrected.

 

No Impact Statement had been provided with regards to how the applicant would limit any disruption to residents and road users during the clearance of construction phases. There were strong objections to numerous points which formed part of the material planning considerations.

 

It was unfortunate that there was no desire to retain the building for use as a community hub. The application would overshadow and overlook Ty Capel with total loss of amenity. The appearance, character and scale of the property were not in keeping with the local area and it was a major overdevelopment of what was a seemingly small site.

 

The Committee were urged to refuse the application due to the vast inaccuracies and changes to the planning application.

 

General debate –

 

The Principal Planning Officer highlighted the additional information received in the late representations. In relation to questions raised about drainage, it was confirmed that the submitted site layout plan, when read in conjunction with the drainage plan showed the existing connection to the existing septic tank to remain, but the septic tank to be replaced with a private treatment plant.

 

In relation to highway safety during consultation (should the application be granted) Officers consider these can be addressed through the imposition of a Construction Management Plan condition.

 

The Chair stated that there was a site meeting held on the 1 November and welcomed comments for members who attended.

 

Local Member Councillor Chris Evans attended the site meeting and expressed his concerns regarding the road outside of the property having a 60mph speed limit and highlighted and his concerns regarding the loss of the historical windows already in the property.

 

The Principal Planning Officer stated that the property was not a listed historical building and was not in a conservation area. Regarding the road outside the property, as the applicant had already alluded to, the current category D1 use of the property meant that the property could be used as a nursery for example with no planning conditions and that would increase the number of vehicles using the road during the day.

 

Councillor Peter Scott attended the site meeting and stated that the visibility concerns raised by residents had been amended on the application and the surrounding wall of the property would stand at 1 metre tall to help with the visibility of cars reversing and passing the property. 

 

Councillor Alan James attended the site meeting and concerns regarding the narrowness of the lane and highway concerns were given consideration and discussed. He proposed that the application be granted.

 

Councillor Jon Harland questioned if the Committee could receive clearer application plans when they were submitted for inclusion on the agenda. The Principal Planning Officer stated that the plans included with the agenda were condensed however, the planning applications were available online for all members and these were not condensed and were clearer.

 

Councillor Delyth Jones questioned what materials were going to be used to construct the building and if there were any conditions placed on the application for the roof windows in relation to the AONB Dark Skies legislation.

 

The Principal Planning Officer stated that the plans suggest the materials used would be grazed link and the new build would be reclaimed stone in keeping with the local area. There had been no objections from AONB regarding Dark Skies.

 

Councillor Chris Evans further expressed his concerns regarding the highway and asked for clarity on the process if the Construction Method Statement was not adhered to. The Principal Planning Officer stated that if the Construction Method Statement was not adhered to, it would be a breach of planning conditions and enforcement would be undertaken where necessary. The Local Member would be given sight of the Construction Method Statement.

 

Proposal – Councillor Alan James proposed that the application be GRANTED in accordance with officer recommendations SECONDED by Councillor James Elson.

 

Vote –

For – 12

Against – 1

Abstain – 1

 

RESOLVED: that the application be GRANTED in accordance with Officer recommendations.