Rhondda Cynon Taf: Application
No. 11/1330/13 - Development of new town centre comprising: a 10,801sq m gross
foodstore (Class A1); 8 pump petrol filling station; 35,522 sq m gross retail
floor space (ClassA1); 600sq m gross cafe space (Class A1); 1,000sq m financial/professional
service space (Class A2); 2,390sq m gross food and drink space (Class A3);
1,400sq m gross office space (Class B1); 750sq m gross Class D1 space; 8 screen
cinema; 80 bed hotel; 64 dwellings (Class C2/C3); multi storey and surface
level car parking; associated access infrastructure, re-profiling of land,
landscaping and flood alleviation works (Further information comprising -
Environmental Statement addendum, Design and Access Statement addendum and
revised plans received August 2012) (Transport Assessment Addendum Report
received January 2013).
John Griffiths AM Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development
7 March 2013
Dear Minister
We are writing to you to formally
request that you use your discretionary powers to ‘call in’ the above outline
planning proposal.
We represent the Pontyclun New
Town Centre working group that was established over two years ago to make
representations on this application. We meet regularly as a group, open to
whoever wishes to come along; have undertaken a questionnaire based survey of
all Pontyclun residents; held three public meetings; keep those 170 people particularly
interested informed through email; and have a website that includes all our
submissions and minutes of meetings: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5229988083519007440#overview/src=dashboard
Although Rhondda Cynon Taf’s
Planning and Control Committee considered and approve this application on 28
February 2013 there is still some time before they issue their decision letter
and we hope that the Minister will still be able to intervene.
Our grounds for asking the
Minister to call in the application relate to the following criteria outlined
in your Planning Policy Wales Edition 5 November 2012:
-
Could have
wide effects beyond the immediate locality
-
May give
rise to substantial controversy beyond the immediate locality
We are sorry for the late request
but evidence relating to these criteria has only become available to us as a
result of accessing the Report of the Service Director of Planning which was
circulated for the meeting on 28 February 2013. This can be accessed in full
at: http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/councildemocracy/democracyelections/councillorscommittees/meetings/developmentcontrolcommittee/2013/02/28/reports/item-3---application-recommended-for-approval.pdf
Within this document and on these
following pages evidence became available for the first time of the impact of
these proposals beyond RCT:
P11 & P14 – From John Lewis: the
adverse impact on John Lewis as an anchor to the development of Cardiff City
Centre.
P15 – From the St David’s
Partnership: the adverse impact on the new St David’s Centre in Cardiff
P15 – From House of Fraser:
detailing impacts in Cardiff, Pontypridd and Bridgend
P23 – Vale of Glamorgan: details
adverse impacts to the south of the development, as far as Barry
P52 – RCT’s own estimate of the
minus % impact on other areas
A number of these submissions
make the point that RCT is not effectively building in the changing nature of
the town centre retail market as a result of rising retailers’ costs, little
growth in real demand and the extensive impact of internet shopping, all
expected to result in a 30 – 40% reduction in stores within the next four
years. This context enhances the impact of the adverse factors already
identified. We have made this point in our own submissions, which are referred
to in the RCT report but were not responded to.
This development is within three
miles of Junction 34 of the M4. Already at certain times of the day, drivers wishing
to exit at this junction need to prepare to leave immediately after Junction
33, when travelling west. There appears to be considerable concern, reflected
in the report to the RCT meeting of 28 February that traffic surveys,
particularly on the A4119 that will connect the New Town to Junction 34, do not
adequately take account of the expected increased traffic flows. We believe
that there is a real danger of the flow of traffic on the M4 being seriously
impeded, thus adversely affecting the proper operation of this main east / west
Welsh route, which is the direct responsibility of the Welsh Government.
Please come back to us if you
have any further questions and we would very much appreciate an acknowledgement
on receipt of this email.
Yours faithfully
Ann Bennett
Vera Arthur
On behalf of the Pontyclun New
Town Development working group
No comments:
Post a Comment