To submit the following Notices of Motion by Councillor Robert Llewelyn Jones:-
1. On the 27th April 2010, the then Executive passed a motion to try to ensure that the same thing did not happen as happened with the large planning application re Ty Mawr, Llanfairpwll in 2008. This application was called-in by the Welsh Government and ended up being refused.
It was passed that a Planning Performance Agreement Charter setting out how the Authority should work with the developer, the community and other key stakeholders to ensure that large scale and complex development proposals were carefully considered in a constructive, collaborative and open manner.
The three largest developments in the last ten years did not have a PPA entered into and ended up with one being called-in and the other two, besides Ty Mawr, namely Holyhead Waterfront and the Land and Lakes developments being costly to our authority and the people of Ynys Môn. If a PPA had been entered into, the chances are that the electorate would have been listened to by the developers.
I am asking that a Planning Performance Agreement be entered into by all developers and that this Agreement is made available for the electorate of Ynys Môn to be kept aware of what is being agreed to. This would be in line with other Local Authorities.
2. During the last 20 years, we have seen more and more chapels and churches closing on Ynys Môn with the loss of community meeting places that have served our residents for over a hundred and fifty years. Each village on Ynys Môn has one or more places of worship with many more in our towns.
Can the Planning Department through their Heritage Officer look at what has happened to these meeting places and what records are being kept to preserve the history of these important buildings as being part of our history over the last 150 years. Could a full report be brought back to Council? Many of these chapels and churches have marble tablets and other records of young men and women who were lost in the two World Wars, what happens to these, and could they also be recorded.
Minutes:
· Submitted – the following Notice of Motion by Councillor Robert Ll Jones:-
‘On the 27th April 2010, the then Executive passed a motion to try to ensure that the same thing did not happen as happened with the large planning application re: Ty Mawr, Llanfairpwll in 2008. This application was called-in by the Welsh Government and ended up being refused.
It was passed that a Planning Performance Agreement Charter setting out how the Authority should work with the developer, the community and other key stakeholders to ensure that large scale and complex development proposals were carefully considered in a constructive, collaborative and open manner.
The three largest developments in the last ten years did not have a PPA entered into and ended up with one being called-in and the other two, besides Ty Mawr, namely Holyhead Waterfront and the Land and Lakes developments being costly to our authority and the people of Ynys Môn. If a PPA had been entered into, the chances are that the electorate would have been listened to by the developers.’
I am asking that a Planning Performance Agreement be entered into by all developers and that this Agreement is made available for the electorate of Ynys Môn to be kept aware of what is being agreed to. This would be in line with other Local Authorities.
Councillor Shaun Redmond seconded the motion.
Councillor Redmond said that it is essential that PPAs are entered into when large development are proposed within local communities. He noted that local communities need to be informed of large development process so as to alleviate any concerns of the effect of such a development.
The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Public Protection responded that the Planning Performance Agreement Charter (PPA) was updated in 2014 and the Charter stipulates that a PPA is a voluntary agreement between the developers of large development projects and the Council. Discussions are undertaken with developers before a planning application is submitted to the Planning Authority but the Council is unable to enforce developers to enter into a PPA. The Portfolio Holder referred to the Land and Lakes project and said that a PPA agreement was not entered into but the developers agreed to pay the legal costs of the Council and sign a S106 agreement. In relation to Glannau Caergybi development discussions were undertaken as regards to the PPA but the planning application was submitted before the Charter was in place.
Councillor Robert Ll Jones said that he wished to see detailed records kept during discussion as regard to PPA with developers to enable the public access to the discussions undertaken. He noted that PPA was entered into as regards to the Wylfa Newydd project where a record of what charges were made and a contribution of £6.8m from the project. Councillor Jones expressed that without a PPA being signed there is no record of charges and costs this authority has had to pay.
The Head of Regulation and Economic Development reported that a fee is charged for each planning application presented to the Council which enables the capacity to process the application. As regards to larger developments the PPA is put in place for the benefit of the planning authority and the developer to ensure that there is capacity to deal with large complex developments. He noted that as regard to the Wylfa Newydd project the local planning authority did not receive a planning fee as the Local Authority would not have made a decision as regards to that application. Therefore the only avenue of funding for the local authority to be able to have capacity to deal with such a large complex development was through the PPA. The Head of Regulation and Economic Development further said that each local authority reports to Welsh Government which includes a number of KPI’s performance together with details of income from any statutory planning process.
The Chair of the Council said that it seems that entering into a PPA by developers is a voluntary process and local planning authorities are unable to enforce it.
Councillor Robert Ll Jones responded that he was aware that a PPA was a voluntary process but he wished to have documentation available as to why a developer has decided not to enter into a PPA and that costs associated with such a development is recorded.
In the ensuing vote it was RESOLVED not to support the motion.
· Submitted – the following Notice of Motion by Councillor Robert Ll Jones:-
‘During the last 20 years, we have seen more and more chapels and churches closing on Ynys Môn with the loss of community meeting places that have served our residents for over a hundred and fifty years. Each village on Ynys Môn has one or more places of worship with many more in our towns.’
Can the Planning Department through their Heritage Officer look at what has happened to these meeting places and what records are being kept to preserve the history of these important buildings as being part of our history over the last 150 years. Could a full report be brought back to Council? Many of these chapels and churches have marble tablets and other records of young men and women who were lost in the two World Wars, what happens to these, and could they also be recorded?
Councillor Peter Rogers seconded the motion.
Councillor Rogers said that it is important to safeguard historical records within the churches and chapels.
The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Public Protection responded that it is a duty on a Local Authority to record historical records under the 1979 or 1990 legislation within registered buildings. However, most historical assets within chapels and churches do not have a statutory protection. Whilst sharing concerns when historical worship chapels and churches are having to close the authority does not have the resource to keep such records. However, when processing planning applications to convert chapels and churches a request is made by the Planning Authority for the developer to keep records of the memorial tablets and records within the buildings.
Councillor Gwilym O Jones wished to express his appreciation for the Notice of Motion being presented to the Council for consideration. He expressed that the situation is different with religious denominations as the Presbyterians has a central records facility to keep such records whilst others are having to deal with the situation locally. He noted that the local communities and Community Councils should be able to facilitate to keep records of memorial tablets and registers when a chapel or church is closing.
Councillor Ieuan Williams said that whilst accepting that historical records within historical worship buildings need to be recorded he considered that it was a matter for the churches or chapels to make sure that such records are kept.
In the ensuing vote it was RESOLVED not to support the motion.