Agenda item

7.1 – FPL/2024/228 – Land near Glanynys, Tyddyn Mostyn, Menai Bridge 

FPL/2024/228 

 7.1  FPL/2024/228 - Full application for the erection of an extra care facility and residential care home with community facilities, construction of a new vehicular access, highway improvement works, demolition of the existing dwelling on the site together with associated development on land near Glanynys, Tyddyn Mostyn, Menai Bridge

(Councillors Neville Evans, Dafydd Roberts and Robin Williams declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the application as they are Members of the Executive who have discussed the development.  The Members left the meeting during discussion and voting thereon)    

The application was presented to the Planning and Orders Committee as the application has been submitted by the Council.  At the meeting held on 4 March, 2026 it was recommended that a site visit be undertaken to the site and this subsequently took place on the 18 March, 2026.

Public Speaker

Mr Jamie Bradshaw, agent in support of the application, said that the application is on a site allocated for 40 dwellings in the Local Development Plan, and would respond to an identified local need for this type of accommodation by providing 45 extra care apartments and a 26 bed care home along with supporting facilities such as a café and restaurant and office. This application follows on from successful projects in Llangefni and Holyhead and show the Authority’s commitment to meeting the needs of all its residents.  Access to the site is off the Tyddyn Mostyn Estate with a separate in and out arrangement proposed.  A Transport Assessment has been undertaken that confirms that there is capacity to accommodate the proposal in the local highway network without a harmful impact to its safety or operation.  There would also be no material impact upon access to Ysgol y Borth. A suitable level of parking is proposed that will accommodate the needs of the development whilst also accounting for the accessibility of the site and nature of its occupiers. As a result, the Highways Officers are satisfied, subject to suitable controls and conditions, and the imposition of a Travel Plan and a Construction Traffic Management Plan. The proposal has been designed to ensure that the amenity and privacy of its neighbours are respected. The building has been carefully sited and designed so that it is suitably separated from neighbouring dwellings. It is generally three storeys in height, with the design utilising the site’s land levels to set the lower storey below ground when viewed from Tyddyn Mostyn so that it is one to two storeys in height when viewed from there. The ample landscaped space to the south then separates the site from the houses on Mount Street and Tyddyn Tô. Existing boundary planting has been retained wherever possible and supplemented to further improve separation. A high-quality design is proposed that would provide an attractive and modern building that would complement the site and its setting, with a carefully chosen palette of materials and landscaping ensuring that the development would blend into its location, as shown in the Landscape and Visual Assessment. There would be some impacts during construction as is the case for any development in an urban location. This would be addressed by a Construction Environmental Management Plan and set construction hours in any consent, which would protect the interests of residents. Whilst there would be some impacts upon trees, ecology, and biodiversity this has been minimised with impacts avoided wherever possible. Compensation and mitigation will be provided through a mix of on-site planting and management measures, and on-site tree planting. The result will be a net enhancement to ecology and biodiversity, and the planting of a greater number of trees than need to be removed. This is demonstrated by the support from your Specialist Officers and the stance of NRW.  The foul drainage would be to the existing sewer on Druid Road with Welsh Water satisfied with this solution. Surface water drainage would be via a new drain running from the site down to a watercourse by the Rugby Club. This has been carefully designed and will ensure suitable drainage of the site; the Drainage Officers and NRW are satisfied with this approach. A Construction Management Plan has been provided that demonstrates that this work can be suitably managed, with further control offered by the highways

consenting process.

Overall, the proposal would be a suitable development of an allocated housing site in a highly accessible location to provide a high-quality development that would allow the Authority to provide a Care Home and Extra Care housing facility that would help to meet residents’ needs in this part of the Island. The proposed design is suited to the site and its context, includes high quality landscaping, and would result in an attractive development. Careful consideration has been given to access, ecology and biodiversity, and the amenity and privacy of neighbours, with all impacts successfully tackled through design and management measures. Thus, when weighing the planning balance, the substantial benefits of the proposal more than outweigh its modest impacts, and that it complies with the Development Plan taken as a whole and relevant policy considerations and requirements.

Councillor Robert Ll Jones ascertained as to how this site was identified for such a development and whether there was any brownfield site considered.  The Agent responded that the site was identified due to the need for such a development in the area and the accessibility of the site to the main services in Menai Bridge.  He noted that he was unaware whether a brownfield site had been identified but due to the size of the development, there are limited brownfield sites available in the area. He further said that the site is identified within the Local Development Plan for housing development.

The Planning Development Manager reported that the application is for the erection of an additional care facility and a residential care home with community facilities.  The proposal is for the demolition of an existing dwelling, erection of 45 self-contained Extra Care Facility with 31 one bed units and 14 two bed units and the erection of a 28 bedroomed Residential Care Home.  The community facilities will include a restaurant/café, reception and creating a space for community support services.  The proposal also includes an external amenity area around the site and creating an access road, car park and off-road turning areas, together with Highway Improvement Works.  An access road for fire/emergency vehicles will be created off the Penclip Road.  Foul drainage system and Sustainable Water Drainage System and landscaping and biodiversity improvements will be constructed.  The application site is approximately 1.8 hectares and is located between the Tyddyn Mostyn Estate to the west and the Penclip Road to the east.  The site is located within a residential area within the development boundary of Menai Bridge.  The site has also been allocated as a housing allocation site within the Local Development Plan.  The access to the site is from the Tyddyn Mostyn Estate and it is proposed that a new access be created to create a one-way system.  Highways improvement works is proposed including a new drainage pipe from the site along the highway towards the rugby club.  He said that this is a major development which was advertised in the local newspapers as well as correspondence to neighbouring properties. 10 web comments were received and 11 letters objecting to the application. The responses to the comments are summarised within the Officer’s report. 

He noted that the town of Menai Bridge is identified as a Local Service Centre under planning policy TAI 2 in the Local Development Plan.  The policy supports housing within the development boundary, subject to meeting the criteria within the policy.  The site is within the Menai Bridge development boundary, and the site has been allocated to provide approximately 40 residential units.  Therefore, the main relevant policies for the application site are planning policies TAI 2 and TAI 11.  This proposal is assessed under planning policy TAI 11 which is for Residential Care Homes, Extra Care Housing or Specialist Care Accommodation for the Elderly.  The policy states that proposals for such development will be allowed provided that they comply with the criteria.  The site is within a highly sustainable location, and the Director of Social Services has confirmed that there is a need for such a development. The proposal would increase the indicative growth of Menai Bridge but there is a clear demand for affordable units and specialist accommodation on Anglesey, and it is considered that the proposal complies with all the criteria of planning policy TAI 11.  Planning policy TAI 8 of the Joint LDP states that all housing developments must ensure that the development improves and contributes to housing balance and meets the needs identified in the community.  A Housing Market Assessment has been provided with the application and confirms that the proposal would address a specialist need. The demand for this type of development is increasing significantly.  A 70% increase in people over the age of 85 on the island is predicted in the next 10 years and the Director of Social Services has indicated that there is a significant demand for this type of provision .The extra care facility will be in Use Class C2 as community facilities have been provided with the plan. It will be offered as rental accommodation only with rents set at an affordable level. The proposal will be owned and managed by the Local Authority, and this will ensure that the extra care facility will provide 100% affordable units for the life of the development. The extra care facility will provide 32 one-bedroom self-contained flats and 13 two-bedroom self-contained flats. The residential care home element will provide 28 bedrooms with "ensuites" which will be let based on the local letting policy, with a Panel assessing potential residents based on needs to ensure a balanced combination of needs.  It is important to note that this site has been allocated for housing purposes in the Local Development Plan, however, it is not considered that this community resource will have a detrimental effect on the housing allocation as affordable and specialist accommodation is an integrated part of the development.

The Planning Development Manager further said that the proposed building will include a site area of ​​approximately 1.8ha with a building footprint of approximately 2,450 square meters and open space of approximately 7,980 square meters. The building will be a mixture of 2 and 3 storey in height using the topography of the land. The building on the top of the site near Tyddyn Mostyn is kept at a lower scale while the larger building is placed on the lower levels of the site to minimize the impact on the landscape. The three floors will be located on lower ground and will not exceed the height of the building on the upper side of the site. The use of vehicles is restricted to the upper level near Tyddyn Mostyn to ensure that the lower side of the site is kept free of cars.  The mature trees around the edge of the site create a boundary and separate the development from the residential properties. A larger area of ​​woodland to the north-east provides a densely wooded backdrop.  The proposal considers the various land levels to ensure that the design compliments the area. The parking arrangements have been carefully made on higher ground close to the entrance. The location of the building ensures that there is an acceptable distance between the proposed building and existing residential properties in accordance with the guidelines. The development intends to use high quality material and the proposed plans states that there will be a mixture of brick, stonework, zinc wall tiles, UPVC windows and doors and a natural slate roof; however, a condition has been placed on the permission to ensure that full details of the external materials are submitted to the Local Planning Authority for consideration and approval to ensure high quality and design. The proposal includes the demolition of an existing residential property used by the Social Services Department. It has been confirmed that the residents of the dwelling will be relocated to another location. The residential property will need to be demolished to ensure that adequate access can be created to the proposed site.  The site contains a rocky outcrop, and a condition has been placed on the permission to ensure that full details of rock excavation work are provided to the Local Planning Authority before work begins on the site. The proposal also includes the erection of an electrical substation. Due to the potential for low frequency noise to be emitted it is necessary to carry out a noise impact assessment for the whole development in accordance with BS4142 standards. A condition will be placed on the permission to provide a Noise Impact Assessment before starting work on the site and this allows for the Environmental Health Department to scrutinize noise levels before any work begins on the site.

The Planning Development Manager further said that it is considered that the design, scale, mass and layout of the proposal is adequate for the site. Whilst the proposed development is a major development, it is considered that it will complement and enhance the character and appearance of the site. The application is of high standard design, and the site plan has been carefully considered to make use of the various land levels on the site. The materials are of high quality and will help to mitigate the impact of the building.  A Landscape and Visual Appraisal has been submitted with the application to assess the proposal and its effects. The Landscape and Visual Appraisal states that the proposal will have a neutral effect on the wider landscape during and after construction. The Officer’s report states that the proposal would improve site which will provide habitat, biodiversity features and new amenity features to the site. A Forestry Impact Assessment (AIA) was submitted with the application which confirmed that there is a total of 141 trees to be removed and two near the Menai Straits, but only 5 of these are Category A.  Many these are ash trees with "ash dieback" disease. In accordance with the requirements of Planning Policy Wales, a total of 429 trees should be planted to compensate for the 143 trees lost (i.e. 3 for 1).  400 trees have already been planted on the Penhesgyn site and in addition to these new trees will be planted on the site which provided biodiversity improvements as well as amenity improvements.  The proposal includes a variety of biodiversity improvements which include Bee Bricks, Bat Tubes, Black Swallow Nest Boxes, Sparrow Nest Boxes, Planting New Hedges, New Wildflower Meadows, Planting Trees on site along with the removal of Invasive Non-Native Species. It is considered that the landscape and ecological improvements are a significant improvement to the current site which is overgrown and does not provide much biodiversity.

The Planning Development Manager referred that there will be two vehicle entrances to the development from the Tyddyn Mostyn estate. The two entrances will act as a one-way route through the site. The proposal also includes pedestrian access from the site to the existing footpath. There will be dedicated access for pedestrians connecting from the drop off point for a delivery/taxi point to the main entrance as well as enough space to keep bikes/buggies etc.  There will be 50 parking spaces on the site which will include 4 disabled parking bays, 5 EV charging bays, 2 distribution bays as well as 4 bays to park motorbikes. It is also intended to create access on the lower level of the site to the west of Penclip Road. This access would be closed when not in use and will only be used for emergency vehicles.  A Transport Statement has been submitted with the application to assess the highways and accessibility of the proposal. In reaching a conclusion, the Transport Statement states that the existing infrastructure would be suitable, and that there is no evidence of highway safety problems in the area. The statement recognizes that the area is in a very sustainable location that has been served by public transport, within easy reach of the town centre. The statement confirms that the two entrances, the layout of the internal roads, the parking space and the traffic are acceptable and suitable for the proposal.  A Traffic Survey has also been submitted with the application. The conclusion of the survey confirms that the proposal would not cause operational difficulties or difficulties for the local network or junctions. The proposal also includes highway improvement work which includes a small roundabout before entering Tyddyn Mostyn Estate, the other work includes renewing the existing parking arrangements at Tyddyn Mostyn. The Highways Authority has confirmed that the proposal provides sufficient parking spaces on the site.  A condition has been placed on the permission to ensure that a Travel Plan is submitted to the Local Planning Authority before using the development to reduce the use of cars.  It was further said that the existing trees and hedges will separate most of the neighbouring properties from the application site. It is not considered that the proposed development will have a negative impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties and therefore the proposal complies with planning policy PCYFF2.  The recommendation is therefore that the application be approved subject to the conditions contained within the report.

Councillor Sonia Williams, a Local Member said that she welcomed such a facility in Menai Bridge, however, she expressed concerns as regards to a new drainage pipe from the site along the highway towards the rugby club together with effects on  residents with the closure of roads and the noise impact from the site during development; traffic management is imperative as there is a high volume of traffic as there is a school nearby.  She expressed strongly that there is a need to communicate with residents on a regular basis.     

The Planning Development Manager said that as the proposal is a major development all matter raised are considered and a Construction Management Plan and a Traffic Management Plan will need to be presented to the Planning Authority before works commence on the site which will outline the environmental impacts and address the concerns of residents.  Discussions have been undertaken with the Agent as regards to the delivery of building materials to the site during construction and the need to ensure that delivery is outside school hours to mitigate any potential traffic obstructions to the nearby school.  He further said that the drainage pipe from the site towards the rugby club is necessary due to the rocky site.  A condition will be imposed for construction works including rock excavation works to be limited between 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. on Saturday’s and no working on Sunday’s and Bank Holidays. 

Councillor Kenneth P Hughes said that an Extra Care facility is required on the Island, however the access to the site is through a housing estate and such a development will have a negative impact on the residents during the construction of the proposal.  He suggested that the Council should discuss with the residents the possibility of reducing their Council Tax during the construction period.  The Planning Development Manager responded that the reduction of Council Tax for residents is outside the remit of the Planning Authority.

Councillor Douglas Fowlie referred to the Officer’s report which that planning policy ISA 1 – Infrastructure Provision states that a financial contribution may be sought to improve a range of infrastructure, facilities and services.  Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is not of the opinion that  a financial contribution is required toward the healthcare provision.  Councillor Fowlie ascertained the opinion of the Planning Authority as to whether the Health Board should contribute to the healthcare provision.  The Planning Development Manager responded that the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is a statutory consultee, and they have the expert opinion as to whether they should contribute to the development.

Councillor Jackie Lewis said that she was supportive of the development but as the proposal may take up to 2 years to construct, it is imperative that residents receive continued update on the development.  She further referred that the site is rocky and she ascertained whether there is a potential risk to neighbouring properties due to drilling of the rocks on site.  The Planning Development Manager responded that the site is not that near to neighbouring properties, and the risk potential is minimal.  He further said that as the development is the Local Authority’s project and there will be a Project Manager who will be responsible for the site and will be available to inform residents of the progress of the development.

Councillor Robert Ll Jones said that other sites should have been considered for such a development as this site is in a greenfield site.   The Planning Development Manager responded that the site is within the development boundary of Menai Bridge and has been identified as housing development site within the Joint Local Development Plan.  He further said that there needs to be a specific criterion to address the needs for the occupants of such a development.  The site needs to be near local amenities, and public transport provision. 

Councillor Kenneth P Hughes proposed that the application be approved in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.  Councillor Jeff Evans seconded the proposal of approval. 

It was RESOLVED to approve the application in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation, subject to the planning conditions contained within the report.

Councillor Robert Ll Jones abstained from voting.