Minute of a presentation by Mr Colin Flanagan of St David’s Commercial
9th November 2005
Mr Flanagan stated that St David’s Commercial was active commercially in the area and had found an opportunity on our doorstep in the St John’s church House which is a listed building. He said that they have had various schemes drawn up for the redevelopment of the site. He then passed around copies of a plan of the site.
He said that his job as a developer is to get as many houses on the site as possible, to sell at the most expensive price possible. He then continued to say that that does not work in a small community where they are desperately short of low cost housing. He assessed that the cost of the houses proposed would be around £120,000 which will fall into the first time buyers’ category. Two or three architects have looked at the project. Simon Tarmaster has drawn up a plan which we had already had copies of which shows eleven properties on it.
Mr Tarmaster has also drawn up a scheme for flats which did not go down too well in a preliminary meeting. The flats were on the footprint of the existing building and contained 18 apartments. However with what as been going on in the local area, the company has dismissed that option.
The best scheme was one which had just arrived he said from a firm of architects in Denbigh, shown below at A They propose to more or less retain the frontage of the property, so it almost falls in line with the next door property. Gated access is proposed through a gated archway in the centre of the frontage and have the first floor above the gated access so that nos 4 and 5 have a first floor above. Two houses are proposed at the back with their rear gardens near St John’s Crescent. There can only be one parking space per property which does not comply with local council requirements of one and a half spaces. To make the scheme viable, a minimum of ten properties is required and that is what is proposed to put forward if the residents are agreement. Mr Flanagan said that if it is not agreeable, then he did not know what they would be able to do.
A
He said that the square footage of the properties would be about 850 sq ft and they would be small two bed starter homes. He then invited questions from the floor.
The secretary said that he had seen the proposal with eleven homes on it and had examined it with the vicar of the St John’s church next door. It had been perceived that two of the eleven properties were actually proposed to be built on church property. The line of the boundary he said, runs from the gate on St John’s Crescent side. The whole of that gate is shown as in church property on the deeds.
Mr Flanagan replied that the drawing was by no means set in stone, it is just an idea.
The secretary continued by stating that the plan shows that the other end of the boundary is shown on the plan finishing at the small gate inside the church property whereas it actually finishes at the gate of the church house.
With that in mind, he said the boundary has actually been repositioned that day.
Mr Flanagan replied that the lines had been repositioned without his knowledge.
The secretary went on to say that notwithstanding what he had said about the boundary, he liked the idea of the scheme proposed at A above.
Mr Flanagan replied that he thought that it is a nice scheme; he indicated that they did need the two back houses to make the scheme work. They would have gardens at the back and they would want the lounges to be at the front so that they did not overlook St John’s Crescent that would be stipulated. They will also stipulate that there will be a six foot fence at the rear
A resident who lives next to the site said that the houses appeared very close to her boundary. Mr Flanagan replied that under the scheme for 11 houses it did, but under the scheme shown at D above, it would be about six feet from her boundary.
The resident continued to query about the holly tree which is in her hedge but not shown on the plan. Mr Flanagan said that he would visit her home and check the issue.
Mr Flanagan said that the main problem facing everyone is that the building is grade 2 listed. The company may put the best scheme in the world in but if the property is not de-listed, it will not get planning permission. He said that his architects and surveyors have been into the properties, they will no longer go in it is full of dry rot, he related that he had nearly put his foot through the floor recently.
A resident asked why the building was on the market.
Mr Flanagan replied that it is a scheme insisted upon by the council that it must be on the market for six months before they will allow anything to happen. If someone did come along and wanted to retain the building, then they would have to sell it.
He continued to say that they are working on getting the application in for planning consent by January 2006.
The secretary asked if an artist’s impression will be available and Mr. Flanagan agreed and said that he will come along to the next meeting with more information.
A resident asked what the councils’ objection had been to the scheme shown on the diagram at A above.
Mr Flanagan replied that they were six detached houses and the council delegated that under their powers and it was refused, had it gone to committee he thought that may have been passed.
The resident continued to ask if it was because it was a listed building and Mr Flanagan replied that it was his recollection that Mr Hardwick had said that the Council wanted to make sure that every avenue had been explored before they would allow it to be demolished. He went on to say that that was another reason why it was still advertised.
Councillor Cowans spoke and said that the original scheme would not have received his support but since that had been submitted, there had been Technical Advice Notes (TAN) from the Assembly dealing with affordable housing and land available to build affordable housing on. In this instance, he said that to market this building you would need to be a fool to invest. Nobody will buy it.
The local councillors would not support the flats scheme but they would support the latest scheme which he said met his criteria with affordable housing and the lobby from the council will certainly be that CADW will have to look strongly at delisting the building.
He said that it is the last place which needs tidying up, after the sterling work that has taken place in the church grounds. It is a nuisance and a liability and that is the councils’ concerted view.
Mr Flanagan added that they cannot get insurance on the building
A resident asked as a close neighbour of the building if any problems could be outlined with the demolition of the building.
Mr Flanagan replied that a full survey has not been done. If there is asbestos that will have to be done properly and a contractor would be brought in to do that. The council would insist on that if permission is forthcoming.
Councillor Cowans drew a comparison with the development at the hotel 70 degrees site. Local people will have observations on the plans before they go forward to the planning department.
The secretary offered his help and that of the chair to Mr Flanagan if any was needed before the next meeting on the 14th December.
Mr Flanagan replied that by that time, the plans will be drawn up properly and that he would bring them to the next meeting.
In answer to a question Mr Flanagan stated that the homes would be sold individually
The chair said that the association is here to help and that the plan looked good.
Mark Chatham asked if there are stipulations that the houses will be sold to the private sector and not to housing associations.
Mr Flanagan said that they had not been approached by housing associations and they had found that dealing with them as an agency proved to be long winded and he would rather sell to individuals. He offered to put that stipulation in the section 106 that housing associations cannot have them. There was general agreement to that.
In reply to questions, Mr Flanagan reiterated that they are all two bedroom houses and are intended for first time buyers.
Mr Flanagan was thanked by the Chair for his presentation
