Development of 27 homes by A55 at Llanfairpwll approved

Anglesey Council’s planning committee narrowly approved plans for homes on land at Llanfairpwll, Anglesey.

The homes, submitted by Clwyd Alyn Housing Ltd, will be built on land north of the Y Garnedd estate.

Councillors voted in favour by five votes to four at a meeting on Wednesday, November 6.

The plans will see a mixture of flats and houses, with 58 parking spaces also built.

Objections over noise, traffic issues, access, drainage, flooding, parking, the impact on wildlife and the site being outside the development boundary were raised.

Sioned Edwards, the agent for the development, said the proposal was on an “exception site” outside the development boundary to “meet a need” for social housing.

“It would help towards Welsh Government targets to provide 20,000 affordable houses across Wales and provided homes for local people,” she said.

She also described mitigation measures, including use of an “acoustic fence and bund to alleviate noise”.

The matter had been brought before the committee by local members Councillors Robin Williams and Sonia Williams.

Cllr Robin Williams played a ten-second clip of vehicle sounds recorded during a site visit by councillors.

He wanted “to remind everyone of the noise levels, having stood near the existing estate of Y Garnedd”.

“And that was not standing at the bottom of the field where houses will be built by the A55 where the noise will be unbelievable,” he said.

“We have to consider the conditions we expect people to live in.”

He also noted the fence was “even higher than the roof of a house” at 4m.

Location of the proposed housing close to the A55 on grazing land off Y Garnedd, Llanfairpwll. (Image Ioacc Planning Documents)

Cllr Sonia WIlliams felt it had “not been made clear” whether the acoustic fence was “sufficient”.

“We saw at the site visit how noisy it was,” she said.

She raised concerns at losing 1.6 hectares of land and its impact on wildlife.

“It’s home to red squirrels, bats and hedgehogs, and the environmental assessment was done in winter rather than spring and summer,” she said.

There had been 37 letters noted from the public, she said, but she had also received “a lot of emails and letters that had gone to planning, but were not mentioned”.

She also said there had been a 1,051-signature petition.

“There are too many risks here locally, to the environment, logistics, impacts on wildlife, flooding, CO2 emissions, traffic, noise and the inappropriate fence – I urge you to consider other sites,” she said.

Cllr Dyfed Jones had concerns over the location by the A55 but was “aware of the importance of affordable homes”.

“I have lived in the area for 25 years. I know what the noise levels are like. There are mitigation measures here but the truth is, from my experience, there is going to be noise,” he said.

“We have a duty to consider the people who will live in the houses and the impact on them.

“I am not going against the principle of affordable houses, but they need to be in the right place. I urge developers look at other sites, more appropriate sites.”

Planning manager Rhys Jones said the scheme had been fully considered and approval was recommended, with conditions.

A previous application had been refused in 2023, but drainage and highways issues were now “resolved”.

Public protection were “happy” with mitigation measures proposed over noise.

“The acoustic fence is really effective to mitigate against noise, and there are estates closer in Llanfairpwll than this one,” he noted.

The highway authority had raised “no objections” and were “satisfied” with car parking provision.

A traffic assessment had recognised a 14 car increase at peak times on top of existing traffic, “not considered a huge increase of traffic flow,” he added.

The site was “directly adjacent” to the Llanfairpwll development boundary and was an “exception site” as long as it provided 100% affordable homes.

The land was grade two grazing not “agricultural land which would have a huge impact on farming” and mitigation measures were proposed, in terms of ecological impact.

“There is a need for 20,000 social rent houses,” he said.

“Evidence shows clearly there is a need for affordable homes in Llanfairpwll. If it went to an appeal I am certain you would lose.”

Proposing approval, Councillor Jeff Evans said: “You have to have the wisdom of Job to be a councillor on planning matters.

“This is based on a determination by the Welsh Government, there’s a need for 20,000 affordable homes in Wales, we have to be part of that on Anglesey, and it is an ‘exception site’.”

Regarding noise, he noted: “I myself live on a busy junction, a corner house fed by three roads.

“There is no more noise there that would impact nor deny me an opportunity of a home. Is it enough to deny 27 affordable homes? Anyone who needs a home there would be more than glad of it.

“There’s a need for housing, there are 27 houses on an open field. Problems have been identified and remedied, should we turn it down? I don’t believe we have the right to – we should follow Government directives.

“Not in my back yard does not work anymore.”