Plans for 29 ‘affordable’ homes in Anglesey village approved despite school capacity concerns

Island planners have given the green light for plans for 29 “affordable” homes to be built in an Anglesey village  – despite concerns over a primary school’s capacity.

Bodedern Primary School also missed out on an education contribution of £60,000 after an assessment into the number of pupils carried out at the start of the application process found it didn’t qualify.

But more than £18,000 will go to Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern and nearly £5,600 to improve village play areas.

Agents acting on behalf of Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, which is behind the scheme, said it had offered to make a voluntary contribution to the primary school to buy IT or other equipment.

The issue was raised during an Anglesey County Council planning committee meeting by Cllr Ken Taylor, who is a governor at the school.

He argued the school should have been entitled to the full amount of funding, highlighting it had more pupils than originally stated.

He questioned the method and timing of the assessment in the planning process.

Education contributions are created to meet the needs in schools caused by new housing developments.

Cllr Taylor said: “A total of 12 primary age pupils would result from the development which would take the capacity of the school, assessed as 90, to 102.”

But Cllr Taylor argued there were 96, adding: “Plus it would gain an estimated 12, from the new development, bringing capacity to 108, not 103. It would have qualified for £12,250 per child.”

The plans will result in the creation of a new vehicular access point, an internal access road, and associated works at Tre Angharad.

It will see the construction of 12, two-bed semi-detached houses, 12, three-bed semis, four, two-bed terraced houses, and one three-bed bungalow.

Rhys Davies, from agents Cadnant Planning, said the site was within the Anglesey and Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan.

He said it already benefited from outline planning permission for 30 properties, which had been reduced to 29.

Mr Davies added Clwyd Alyn had “analysed” housing needs, with some of the houses to be offered for sale, others for rent and some transferred back to the council’s housing stock.

He said: “The education department had no concerns – it did not call for a contribution to be made to the primary school.”

Clwyd Alyn said it would be happy to speak with the school so “local benefits could be ensured,” such as buying IT equipment.

Cllr Taylor said he was not against the development and “welcomed affordable homes”, but questioned the process to decide on the contribution to the primary school.

Cllr Robin Wyn Jones proposed approving the application, seconded by Cllr Jackie Lewis. The scheme was unanimously accepted in a vote.

By Dale Spridgeon – Local Democracy Reporter