Agenda Item No. 4
THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL
HOMES AND SAFE COMMUNITIES SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: 10TH OCTOBER, 2018
REFERENCE FROM CABINET: 17TH SEPTEMBER, 2018
“C417 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - HAYESWOOD ROAD, BARRY (HBS) (SCRUTINY - HOMES AND SAFE COMMUNITIES) -
The Cabinet Member for Housing and Building Services presented the report:
- To seek Cabinet approval to proceed with the acquisition of Welsh Government owned land at Hayes Wood Road, Barry;
- To submit a detailed planning application for the development of the site;
- To obtain the necessary authority to tender for the provision of 20 Gypsy and Travellers pitches to meet the identified needs in the Vale of Glamorgan area.
The Member advised that the need to provide a permanent site for the Gypsy and Traveller Community had long been identified as a strategic priority for the Council as well as being a legal obligation to meet its statutory duty. The Vale of Glamorgan Local Development Plan 2011 – 2026 (LDP) was formally adopted on 28th June, 2017 and LDP Policy MG5 – Gypsy and Traveller Site, made provision for a 2 pitch gypsy and traveller site at Llangan.
The LDP Monitoring Framework required the further identification of an appropriate site to accommodate the additional 18 pitches to meet need up to 2026. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the Llangan site, it was considered the Council should meet the overall need of 20 pitches at Hayes Wood Road, Barry to ensure it complied with its statutory duty set out under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.
The Gypsy and Traveller Site Assessment 2018, contained at Appendix A to the report, set out the methodology for finding an appropriate site to meet the overall need of 20 pitches. The assessment identified a selection of possible sites and concluded that the preferred site was the site at Hayes Wood Road, Barry. Further to a previous report authorising the Council's acquisition of the Site from Welsh Government, option appraisals regarding the needs of the communities within the Vale of Glamorgan had identified the Hayes Wood Road site to be in prime location to meet the needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community.
Work had progressed on preliminary site investigation and illustrative layout proposals and a copy of the proposed scheme layout was provided at Appendix B to the report. The illustrative scheme layout contained at Appendix B was designed to meet the identified need of 18 pitches, plus additional capacity of two further pitches. To ensure the Council complied with best practice and met the Welsh Government's funding criteria available for the site; the layout was based on "Designing Gypsy and Traveller Sites", guidance issued through Welsh Government and a detailed layout of the individual pitches was provided at Appendix C with an artistic impression of the street view provided at Appendix D. Each pitch would facilitate a static caravan with provision for an additional touring caravan, parking for two vehicles and individual amenity block. Each amenity block was designed to be flexible so it could be converted into temporary accommodation or a one/two bedroomed home should demand change in the future. The Gypsy and Traveller Site would also contain a manager's office and a communal room to allow for social activities. The pitches would be let at similar rates to other Gypsy and Traveller Sites within Wales.
Further work relating to the Site was ongoing, which would enable the Scheme to be finalised for submission of a full planning application and support the tender documentation to enable contractors to bid for the development work.
Public consultation would be required as part of the 'Pre-Application Consultation Report' prior to a formal planning submission. This would be arranged in advance of the final preparation and submission of the planning application.
The Cabinet Member for Learning and Culture advised that since the publication of the report he had received several objections from residents living in Sully and Barry opposing the geographical location of the proposed site at Hayes Wood Road, Barry. Many of the objections were received from residents in the Hayes Point Development and on Hayes Road itself, who were concerned about the effect the proposal may have on the area and therefore a perceived reduction in the value of their homes. Therefore, the Cabinet Member advised that he was not pre-disposed to support the report at this time however, would reserve his own personal opinion on the proposal until he was able to consider all the facts following a meaningful consultation process with all stakeholders and after careful consideration of the planning application details.
In response, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Building Services advised that the pre-consultation would afford all residents the opportunity to share their thoughts on the matter and this would include drop-in sessions that will be well advertised.
In response to the Leader’s question on the timeline for purchase, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Building Services advised that the Council would not be completing the purchase of the relevant land before planning permission was obtained.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A T the findings of the site assessment (Appendix A) be endorsed and the site at Hayes Wood Road, Barry be confirmed as the preferred site to meet the longer term needs for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation identified in the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA).
(2) T H A T approval be granted to submit a planning application for the site at Hayes Wood Road, Barry, as a detailed application for a permanent Gypsy and Traveller Site.
(3) T H A T approval be granted to the Head of Finance to finalise negotiations with Welsh Government for the acquisition of the site, having regard to the proposed use of the site, existing site constraints and any costs.
(4) T H A T delegated authority be given to the Monitoring Officer / Head of Legal and Democratic Services to agree the form of contract and transfer in respect of the land to be acquired from Welsh Government at the appropriate time and complete all necessary legal agreements relating to the purchase.
(5) T H A T approval be granted to tender the proposed scheme shown, for illustration purposes at Appendix B, subject to approval of planning permission and acquisition of the site.
(6) T H A T a further report be presented to Cabinet regarding award of contract, following the planning decision and, if applicable, the tender receipt.
(7) T H A T the report be referred to the Homes and Safe Communities Scrutiny Committee for consideration.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To confirm the preferred site to meet the longer term need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation identified in the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA).
(2) To allow the progression of public consultation, formal planning application and, if applicable, procurement arrangements to enable works to commence at the Hayes Wood Road, Barry Site within the financial year.
(3) To allow the acquisition of the Site from Welsh Government, which has been deemed suitable in accordance with the Council's Gypsy and Traveller site identification process.
(4) To allow all required legal documentation to be entered into and for the acquisition of the site to be completed.
(5) To enable work at the Site to commence (subject to planning permission being obtained) in line with the Welsh Government's grant award requirements for Gypsy and Traveller sites.
(6) To comply with the Council's Contract Standing Orders, which require contracts with a value in excess of £300k to be agreed by Cabinet.
(7) To allow appropriate Scrutiny of the report.”
Attached as Appendix – Report to Cabinet: 17th September, 2018