A HOUSING association shouldn’t be made to pay for a bus stop a council should provide, councillors have been told.
A suggestion the council should ask for a contribution towards a bus stop was made when councillors approved a planning application to demolish and replace a vacant block of flats.
But councillors were reminded planning conditions should be relevant to an application and necessary as well as being enforceable. Earlier during the same October meeting a councillor had suggested placing a condition on a development to prevent vehicles reversing from a driveway.
The plea for funds towards a bus stop was made by Wyesham councillor Emma Bryn when Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee approved plans to replace the block in Monmouth with four new houses and nine one-bedroom flats.
The independent councillor said a bus stop is “pretty much on site” at Wheat Field Close and asked if the council could require improvements such “as a bench for instance.”
Developers can be required to make contributions for community improvements through the planning process with a section 106 legal agreement used to secure the benefits.
The Wheat Field Close application has a section 106 agreement attached to it, and that is to ensure all the homes being built by Monmouthshire Housing Association, remain affordable.
Planning officer Philip Thomas said the main benefit of the development is the affordable housing and said: “We don’t want to be asking for something that should be provided anyway by the council.”
Head of planning Andrew Jones said section 106 agreement should only be attached as planning conditions when they can be “justified” and meet the tests for being required.
Earlier at the planning committee meeting Mr Jones told Dewstow councillor Tony Easson it wouldn’t be possible to put in place a condition to prevent vehicles from reversing out of an access road.
The committee approved a new bungalow on fields behind houses on Main Road, Portskewett but heard some residents were concerned about the access road.
Independent Socialist Cllr Easson asked if a condition requiring vehicles are driven in and out of the access road in a forward gear could be put in place.
Mr Jones said the council could only ensure there is sufficient space for vehicles to be driven in, turn and leave in a forward gear and said a ban on reversing wouldn’t be enforceable.
St Arvans Conservative Cllr Ann Webb said: “Common sense would make sure you wouldn’t reverse out on to this road.”
