Re: CCBC: Latest planning applications

[SteveH]

Decision on Llandudno's Great Orme tramway upgrade plans delayed
But a new boardwalk improving disabled access at upper Colwyn Bay?s Welsh Mountain Zoo was given the go-ahead

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/decision-llandudnos-great-orme-tramway-25753545?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Bedsit rules 'brought in to control Colwyn Bay' should stay over HMO fears
Councillors set to discuss controversial report next week as officers propose more flexibility

A controversial study proposing to relax the rules for allowing bedsits is set to be discussed by Conwy council's cabinet next week. Conwy?s current planning policy is to refuse all applications for houses of multiple occupation (HMOs), more commonly known as bedsits.

But the planning inspectorate has, on occasions, overturned these refusals, leaving cash-strapped Conwy to pay for costly appeals. Conwy is also facing a homelessness crisis ? with many residents suffering during the national cost-of-living emergency.

Consequently, Conwy commissioned a 100-page study to look at the HMO issue. The study proposes to relax the rules around allowing bedsits, despite the report acknowledging HMOs caused negative impacts such as overcrowding and community safety issues.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/bedsit-rules-brought-control-colwyn-25917082

[Cambrian]

The late Bob Squire, when he was Colwyn's Chief Environmental Health Officer, spent much time and effort trying to rid the Bay of the multitude of HMOs which had grown since the 1970s attracting all sorts of problems in their wake.  He carried this on as a Director at Conwy as he was concerned at the possible impact on Llandudno.  Bob always said that planners - officers and inspectors - where "flakey" when it came to HMOs.  Seems he has been proved right. Given the current "Cabinet" at Conwy they will probably jump through whatever hoop the Management Team put in front of them - hope I'm wrong though.

[SteveH]

Conwy County Council has submitted coastal-defence plans to its own planning department for the 2.3 km stretch of coastline at Kinmel Bay, including a coastal path, car park, and public areas.

The plans, though, have already got some people excited as the artist?s impressions show a sandy beach complete with parasols more in keeping with Rhodes than neighbouring Rhyl.

The proposals include new rock armour defences, raised sea walls, and a widened coastal path to help protect Kinmel Bay from rising sea levels.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23238634.kinmel-bay-resemble-tropical-paradise/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

A UK bar and restaurant chain wants to open a new hotel in the centre of Llandudno. Loungers has secured planning to open an eating and drinking venue at the M&Co unit on Gloddaeth Street.

This was their second attempts to come to Llandudno after previously bidding to move into the former Marks and Spencer satellite store on Mostyn Street, which is now a Poundland.

The new restaurant will create 30 jobs and add to the going out venues in the seaside town. They said it was a ?1.25m investment.

Now the company has submitted a bid to create a hotel on the upper floors of the building. They hope to add 10 en-suite rooms.

The firm said: "The company seeks to use upper floors of their premises for hotels where appropriate. This provides a complementary use to the ground floor as a lounge restaurant cafe/bar and also seeks to ensure that the building has long term future."

The proposal will be considered by planners at Conwy council.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-llandudno-hotel-planned-uk-26134521

[SteveH]

An Old Colwyn church could soon be transformed into a caf? and gallery ? if it gets the green light from planning officials. A developer has submitted a planning application to Conwy Council's planning department, seeking to transform the vacant St Catherine Parish Church on Abergele Road into a new residential unit, multi-purpose caf?, and gallery.

Hertfordshire-based applicant Adrian Gaskell wants to modernise the Grade II listed building by adding an additional floor, building a glass extension at the top of the bell tower, and adding solar panels. Other changes proposed include conservation roof lights, internal and external alterations, and secondary glazing.

The development would create four full-time and two part-time jobs. But Tricia and Ben Williams live on Church Walks opposite the church and objected to the plans.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-church-could-transformed-26190957?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

The two apartments at Roslin, Sylvia Gardens North in Craig y Don, were occupied until June last year before the sale to a Cardiff-based housing association in August.

Mr David Owen of First Choice Housing Association has applied to Conwy County Council?s planning department, seeking permission for a change of use from flats to a children?s home.

If the flats get the go-ahead, the apartments could be transformed into three two-bedroom apartments.

The flats would home children as well as young people over 18 transitioning to care from social services.

READ MORE: https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23310553.childrens-home-proposed-llandudno-flats/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Multi-million pound plans to transform Colwyn Bay's former Civic Centre into hotel submitted
Parc Eirias Hotel Ltd has applied for permission to convert the building into a 56-bedroom hotel

In November the local democracy reporting service revealed the company, which also runs the award-winning Lawton & Lauriston Court Hotel in Llandudno, was looking to invest around ?2-3m to renovate the former council building on Abergele Road. The latest plans reveal there will be 21 ensuite bedrooms on the ground floor, 19 on the first floor, and 16 on the second floor, together with store rooms and office space.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/multi-million-pound-plans-transform-26422882?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Developer's plea to drop ?52,000 payment for affordable homes is rejected
The developer argued the project in Rhos on Sea is now unviable due to rising building costs

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/developers-plea-drop-52000-payment-26430145

[Hugo]

Credit where credit is due so well done Cllr Mandy Hawkins for saying "This Section 106 money should absolutely not be discharged. It is, after all, a legally binding contract and one we as a committee and  council should not back down on in order to give those who have entered into the agreement larger profits
Cllr Carr and the planning officers should be ashamed of themselves for suggesting that the project is no longer viable, it's a complete nonsense.   It's the ratepayers money that they were happy to forfeit

[Meleri]

I totally agree with you Hugo & pleased to see the Planning Committee members challenging the Planning Officers decision to discharge the 106 of ?52,000, as Cllr Mandy said, it is just a drop in the ocean for these developers.  This has been going on for years & it's about time it was stopped. CCBC have spent millions on an LDP that tells us these charges should be paid to help build descent homes for less fortunate residents. It's morally wrong of the developers to try & get out of paying it to line their pockets. There are over 200 people in B&B waiting for a decent affordable home, many of them young children & it's costing CCBC ?85 per person per night.

The same thing happened not so long ago at the Odstone site on the same road & the 106 was discharged, now those apartments are selling for ?595,000 to ?950.000. You can't tell me they couldn't afford the 106 they should have paid.

There have been dozens more incidents of the same, loosing hundreds of thousands of pounds & resulting in a loss of many affordable houses & it's shameless that the Planning Officers are allowing this to happen & shame on you Cllr David Carr for encouraging them.

It was Cllr Joe Nuttall who first challenged this in last months planning meeting & very pleased Cllrs Mandy Hawkins & Stephen Price continued the challenge to refuse to discharge the 106, a pat on the back to you all.

[Hugo]

Meleri, what you have said has really shocked me.   I have heard about one or two cases where the Section 106 payment has been waived  but I never realised that it was done on such a large scale and that CCBC was agreeing to it.
It's totally absurd, have you ever heard of a developer building a house on a non profit basis?    In fact with the builders the case was always that the third house they built was all profit.     As for Cllr Carr and all that nonsense about high spec kitchens etc. the builder just puts up his price accordingly
The Section 106 is a legally binding contract and therefore enforceable in law so there is no excuse to write off money due to the ratepayers
The question needs to be asked why do the Planning officers do it?    It's an abuse of power amongst others things

I'll give an example of this type of thing that was widely reported in the paper some years ago.    Boris Johnson was Mayor of London at the time and a developer who was building Luxury apartments in London had agreed to pay a fee in respect of affordable houses.    Boris intervened and the fee was waived.   
Lo and behold a short time later a donation of 25 thousand pounds was made to the Conservative Party. it stinks
 

[Cambrian]

Isn't there a right of appeal against the Committee's decision, under S106B, to the Planning Inspectorate ? If so, the agreement may not be a contract as such. Possibly this weighed in the officers' recommendation.

[Hugo]

If that is the case then the Planning Officers have taken the easy way out and that soft line approach should be stopped.   Thank goodness that the Planning Committee over ruled the Planning Officer decision, you can't just wipe out ratepayers money just like that

[Meleri]

No Cambrian they don't have a right to appeal in this case. If the permission was granted over 5 years ago then they could have appealed, but it has only been one year so there is no chance.

Now we will wait & see what happens & I can't see them not building as there is too much money involved to loose for the sake of ?52,000. A case of 'Pulling a fast one' as they know there is this loophole & it's about time it was closed.