Agenda item

13.1 46C427K/TR/EIA/ECON – Penrhos Coastal Park, Cae Glas and Kingsland, Holyhead

(Report to follow)

13.1    46C427K/TR/EIA/ECON – A hybrid planning application proposing: Outline with all matters reserved except for means of access, for: A leisure village at Penrhos Coastal Park, London Road, Holyhead comprising of up to 500 new leisure units including new lodges and cottages; central new hub building comprising reception with leisure facilities including indoor sub-tropical water park, indoor sports hall, and cafes, bars, restaurants and retail; central new Farmer’s Market building; central new spa and leisure  building; a new cafe and water sports centre at the site of the former Boathouse; demolition of the Bathing House and the construction of a restaurant at its former location; demolition of other existing buildings including three agricultural barns and three residential dwellings; providing and maintaining 29 hectares of publicly accessible areas with public car parking and enhancements to the Coastal Path, including: managed walkways within 15 hectares of woodland, the retention and enhancement of Grace’s Pond, Lily Pond, Scout’s Pond with viewing platforms, the Pet Cemetery, War Memorial, the Pump House and picnic area with bird feeding stations and hides with educational and bilingual interpretation signage created throughout; creation of a new woodland sculpture trail and boardwalks and enhanced connection to the Coastal Path; the beach will continue to be accessible to the public providing safe access to the shallow shelving water; A combined Heat and Power Centre.

Land at Cae Glas: The erection of a leisure village accommodation and facilities which have been designed to be used initially as a temporary construction workers’ accommodation complex for Wylfa B at land at Cae Glas, Parc Cybi, Holyhead comprising: up to 315 lodges which will be initially sub-divided for nuclear workers’ accommodation; Central hub building providing reception and canteen ancillary to accommodation; a Park and Ride facility comprising up to 700 car parking spaces; a new hotel, a lakeside hub comprising restaurant, cafe, retail and bar; new grass football pitch and cricket pitch and a combined Heat and Power Centre. To be subsequently converted (post Wylfa B construction) into an extension to the Penrhos Coastal Park Leisure Village comprising: refurbished lodges and facility buildings to create high quality holiday accommodation (up to 315 family lodges); a Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve allowing controlled public access, and Heritage Centre with visitor parking.

Land at Kingsland: The erection of a residential development which has been designed to be used initially as temporary construction workers’ accommodation at land at Kingsland, Kingsland Road, Holyhead comprising: up to 320 new houses to be initially used as temporary construction workers’ accommodation. To be subsequently converted (post Wylfa B construction) into a residential development comprising: up to 320 residential dwellings set in high quality landscaping and open spaces: Each phase of the development will have ancillary development comprising car parking, servicing areas, open spaces and plant. Full details for the change of use of the existing Estate buildings at Penrhos Coastal Path, London Road, Holyhead including the change of use for: The Bailiffs Tower and outbuildings at Penrhos Home Farm from a cricket clubhouse to a visitors’ centre, restaurant, cafe, bars and retail; Home Farm Barn and Cart Buildings from farm buildings to cycle and sports hire centre; the Tower from residential to a Manager’s accommodation and ancillary office; and Beddmanarch House from residential to a visitors’ centre.

The report of the Head of Planning Service setting out the principal terms of the section 106 Agreement vis a vis the approved Heads of Terms along with the proposed planning conditions was presented. The report also provided an update with regard to changes in planning policy and further environmental information received since the application was approved in November, 2013.

The Chief Planning Officer reported on the general position and the work undertaken since the application was approved in November, 2013; he referred to extensive discussions with Natural Resources Wales and to correspondence by that body as appended to the report setting out its position with regard to specific matters of relevance to it.

Mr Gary Soloman, Burges Salmon proceeded to advise the Committee on the stage reached with regard to each of the 32 Heads of Terms in relation to the commitment made or the status of negotiations and, where a specific monetary contribution had been determined or agreed in principle (based on current values but indexed to future values on the basis of indices to be confirmed) to meet the additional demand/obligations, he notified the Committee of the sum as shown below. He also drew the Committee’s attention to Regulation 123 of  Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 which from April, 2015 has introduced a new control referred to as  a “pooling restriction” the upshot of which is explained in the report.

•           Education - £1.5m

•           Medical Care – an agreed sum of between £530k and £600k.

•           Leisure – A capital contribution of over £1m and annual maintenance contribution of £300k per annum towards existing sports facilities (this in the event that the proposed sports centre provision at Cae Glas does not go ahead)

•           Swimming – A capital contribution of £560k and annual maintenance of £165k per annum in principle for the nuclear worker operational phase and a capital contribution of £60k and annual maintenance of £17k for the construction phase

•           Library- £400K to relocate existing library facilities

•           Local Employment – 5% apprenticeships through the construction worker phase. Target of 35% local labour during the construction phase and 80% local labour during the operational phase. £67.5k towards funding a facilitating officer for 18 months.

•           Conversion of nuclear worker accommodation to legacy uses - £25k payment per unit for refurbishment equating to a sum of approximately £16m

•           Welsh language communications - £60k per annum for 10 years for the nuclear worker phase and £10k per annum for 5 years for the tourism stage

•           Tourism obligations – £100k for tourism infrastructure; £75k for marketing and promotion; £715k for impact, mitigation and monitoring and £50k for a tourism officer for a 12 month period.

The Lead Planning Case Officer referred to the current draft of the planning conditions as at Appendix 1 to the report; further environmental information received from the applicant as per Appendix 2 to the report and an  assessment of the changes in planning policy since the resolution to grant planning permission in November, 2013 as at Appendix 3 to the report. The Officer confirmed that it is the Head of Planning Service’s view that neither the information in Appendix 2 nor Appendix 3 materially affect or change the previous recommendation/ resolution made.

The following were areas regarding which the Committee sought further clarification and/or made additional comments  to which the Officers responded by providing further information and/or  explanation regarding the agreement reached –

•           The definition of “local” in relation to local labour;

•           The extent if any, to which Land and Lakes will be supporting Coleg Menai in relation to apprenticeships;

•           That under Obligation (27) - Welsh language communications, the reference in the third column should read “there will be obligations in relation to Welsh language only road names.”

•           That Welsh language signage should have precedence.

•           The omission of any reference to a financial contribution to Welsh Water given the significant pressure that will be placed on the public sewerage system.

•           The omission of a specific head of terms for the cost of addressing any leakage to the Inland sea and the position reached with regard to addressing this matter.

•           Whether the £530k negotiated for medical care is considered sufficient and the extent of the engagement with BCUHB on this and other health related matters.

•           Whether £1.5m is considered a sufficient contribution to additional demands on education.

•           The need to reconsider the agreement reached with regard to Child Social Services obligation where problems are likely to extend beyond the 5 year term for which it has been agreed a child social worker will be funded.

•           The need for robust safeguards where one part of the development is linked to/or dependent on another in terms of what will proceed and a clear understanding of what the triggers will be.

•           The need for improved communication mechanisms for keeping the public informed especially in relation to areas where there are multi-agency discussions so that the public can be assured that the developer is not working in isolation and that other public bodies are involved and are having an input into issues as necessary.

•           The need to provide sufficient notice of when update information such as the report is to become available.

It was clarified by the Lead Case Officer that Welsh Water had confirmed that they were content for the development to be approved subject to a planning condition which may require that the developer upgrades the sewerage system as required.

The Committee noted the information presented and requested that a report be brought back to Committee when all the terms of the section 106 agreement and conditions have been finalised.

Councillor Kenneth Hughes proposed that the recommendations of the report be approved with the proviso above and his proposal  was seconded by Councillor Vaughan Hughes.

 It was resolved –

•           To note the obligations which will be secured under an agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 which are in line with the Heads of Terms authorised by the Committee on 6th November, 2013.

•           To note the position in relation to planning policy and the further environmental information including consultation and other responses, which have been received as outlined in the written report.

•           In light of the above, to endorse the previous resolution and to authorise the Head of Planning Service to finalise the terms of the section 106 agreement and conditions.

•           That a report be brought back to the Committee once the terms of the section 106 agreement and conditions have been finalised ahead of completing  the legal agreement and issuing the planning permission.