Issue - meetings

8.1  34C705/ECON – Ysgol y Graig, Llangefni

8.1 34C705/ECON – Full application for the demolition of the existing school, erection of a new supermarket, improvements to the existing access together with associated works at former Ysgol y Graig, Llangefni

RESOLVED TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION AND REPORT

8.1       34C705/ECON – Full application for the demolition of the existing school, erection of a new supermarket, improvements to the existing access together with associated works at former Ysgol y Graig, Llangefni

The application was presented to the Planning and Orders Committee as the development involves Council owned land.

The Planning Development Team Leader reported that the application has been subject to the new pre-submission publicity process whereby public consultation has been held before the application was submitted to the Planning Service; three letters of support and one letter of objection have subsequently been received. The proposed new unit is considerably larger in scale than the existing retail unit; the applicant has undertaken a sequential test as required by both plan policy and Planning Policy Wales including considering the option of demolishing the existing store and redeveloping the existing site. However, due to the limitations of the current site as regards its capacity to deliver a larger store and the unsuitability of other sites in terms of the required criteria for the applicant’s business model, the application site is the sequentially preferable location to deliver the replacement store. The Officer said that the report also shows that in terms of capacity, the proposal would not harm the vitality or viability of stores within the existing town centre.

The Committee was amenable to the proposal subject to confirming the retention and accessibility of the existing footpath from Tan Capel Estate through both rear fields and the old school site down to the industrial estate; regulating the hours of construction work to avert noise nuisance there having been complaints locally regarding work on the adjacent extra care facility, and subject also to confirmation that any shrubs and trees planted shall be maintained for a period of 10 rather than 5 years. The Officer said that the issue and status of the footpath can be looked into; a construction and environment management plan will be implemented to deal with traffic, noise and pollution etc. with a standard that on site work will not commence before 8:00 a.m. With regard to maintaining trees and shrubs planted as part of a landscaping scheme, the Officer said that the standard maintenance period as advised by the Tree and Landscape Officer is 5 years; however consideration can be given to extending that time period.

The Committee noted its disappointment that there were no community benefits deriving from the scheme.

It was resolved to approve the application in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation subject to the conditions listed within the written report.