Port Eynon Community Council
Minutes of monthly Council meeting held on Monday 18th May 2019 at Knelston Primary School
Present Councillors: , Robert Fisher, Sheila Fisher, Gareth Evans, David Lewis and Steven Young.
Apologies: Councillors Martin Cox, and Gareth Jones.
In attendance Mr.Barry Stubbings – Clerk;
Chair Councillor Robert Fisher took the Chair.
1. Minutes Clerk confirmed that the draft minutes of the last meeting held on 15th April 2019 had been circulated to all Councillors, displayed on the Council notice boards and posted on the web site. It was proposed by Councillor Steve Young, and seconded by Councillor David Lewis that the minutes be accepted and this proposal was agreed by all.
2. Declarations of Interest None were made.
3. Matters Arising
SCURLAGE GREEN –
Cllr. Sheila Fisher advised that the garden area around the War memorial had been completed but there were some aspects that were not satisfactory. CllrS Fisher would meet with the gardener and see if improvements could be made.
Clerk advised that he had written to both C&CS Parks Dept and Highways Dept concerning the removal of the bench seat, requesting that it either be replaced or the Council be compensated. He advised that he had sent a reminder but was still yet to receive a response.
Clerk advised that he had written to C&CS Highways Dept. on traffic calming and possible provision of ‘Gateway’ signage for the village. He had sent a reminder and copied correspondence to Cllr. Richard Lewis but again was yet to receive any response.
PORT EYNON FOOTPATHS – Clerk advised that he had no further news on this matter.
DEFIBRILLATORS –Clerk advised that he had written to Cariad (First Response) on the proposals and received their agreement together with outline costing. After discussion Council agreed to make enquiries for a further grant from Lotteries Funding.
4. Finance
Committed expenditure was presently:
Port Eynon Village Green works- £2,000
Scurlage Village Green works – £2,000
Scurlage Village Awareness signs – £3,000
Defibrillators – £5,000 (with possible grant aid)
Contribution to church yard maintenance – £900
Clerk confirmed that there were adequate resources to meet these commitments.
5. Planning
Clerk provided a resume of applications recently considered and now approved or refused
2019/0571 Cherry Tree Cottage, Port Eynon – Retention of existing detached garage as ancillary laundry and staff living accommodation and external alteration in association with the main dwelling and holiday let business.

site, noting that:
Application 2010/1778 made in November 2010 for a detached garage with holiday flat above was refused in February 2011 as representing excessive overdevelopment of the site and providing residential accommodation in too close proximity to neighbouring residential development.
Application 2011/1192 made in August 2011 for a detached garage and laundry was granted on 17th November 2011 despite being essentially a resubmission of 2010/1778 and the approval contained a specific proviso that the building should not be used or converted to domestic living accommodation.
Council considered the present application to be duplicitous as it could be read as ‘Retention of use of an ancillary laundry’ which was in conformity to application granted in 2011, but application for ’staff living accommodation’ was not a retention of use and was a new matter clearly in contradiction to permission granted on 17th November 2011. Further Council was in the understanding that the present building had and was still in continuous use for domestic accommodation in contravention to the conditions made in 2011.
Council considered and confirmed its previous advice that the scale and location of the building was inappropriate and constituted severe overdevelopment of the site (2010) and that any adoption or conversion of the building to holiday or permanent occupation should be prevented (2011).
For these reasons Council recommended refusal of the application and referral for Planning Enforcement action. Application granted on 14th May 2019
2019/0753/PRE The Bays Farm, Overton – Pre application for alterations and changes of use from a garden store and art studio into separate holiday accommodation lets.
Council considered the application and noted that this was an existing structure divorced from the principal residence. It was noted that the proposed alterations would not materially change the scale and size of the existing building. Further the external appearance would not be significantly altered.
Council were of the unanimous opinion that the application should be granted. Decision pending.
2019/0699 Bank farm Scurlage. – Use of Fields 1 and 2 for the siting of a marquee and camping for a maximum of 150 units from 7th to 10th June 2019.
Council considered the application and noted that it was similar to previous applications made for this site. Council also noted that the temporary camp created had caused no adverse local comment. Council recommended that the Application be granted. Decision pending.
NEW APPLICATIONS
2019/1051 Land adjacent to Hawthorn cottage, Scurlage. – Amendment to application 2019/0020
Council considered the application and noted that there appeared to only minor changes from application 2019/0020 which had been refused as being of ‘inappropriate scale and mass and poor design (which) would introduce a dominant and discordant building to the locality. & the proposed development is considered to be an overdevelopment of the site’. Council noted that the proposed annexe building had been deleted, but the footprint of the main house was largely unchanged. Councilnoted that the ‘mass’ and height of the garage attached to the house had been reduced. The only other changes were minor alterations to fenestration. Council reiterated their previous comments:
‘Council were of the opinion the application to be a considerable over development of a very small site.
The mass of the main house will be in visual conflict with neighbouring buildings, particularly the cottages and barn conversion on the immediate opposite side of the main road, and the semi-detached dwellings along Monksland Road.
Council considers the creation of a new access to the site, off the A4118 Port Eynon Road will be undesirable and will conflict with the junction of Berry Lane to the A4118. This is a known traffic ‘black spot’ and further access points should be avoided. Council notes that for the neighbouring development access off the A4118 was precluded and was provided off Monksland Road, in recognition of these difficulties.
Council notes that there is a history of surface water flooding at this location and that there should be no increase in run-off from additional paved areas and all surface water should be disposed of within the site. Council further questions the feasibility/economics of constructing a deep basement where the water table is at or close to the ground surface for most of the year.’
2019/1009 South Gower Sports Club – Licence for camping for 80 units on three weekends.
Council considered the application and noted that the provision for camping on the lower sports field was generally acceptable based on similar provisions in the previous year. Council however noted that the application did not include for a marquee and that the marquee erected last year had never been removed, also that the previous licence was for indoor music only but that the marquee was usually in use without side panels. Council were of the opinion that these issues needed to be regularised.
6. Highways and Footpaths
Cllr Robert Fisher advised that street signage in Monksland road should be improved as on frequent occasions delivery vehicles were unable to locate destination addresses. He recommended a street sign at the junction of Monksland Road and Salisbury Close directing to the higher numbered houses in Monksland Road. All agreed.
7. Correspondence
Clerk advised that he had received communication and correspondence from western power Distribution concerning the annual wayleave payments. This had been promptly answered.
Clerk advised that he had received a request for contribution to the Port Eynon Village Hall Newsletetr but had been unable to respond due to pressure of other matters.
8. Communications, Notice Boards, Etc
Clerk advised that the Notice Board in the Burial Ground had collapsed from age deterioration. Council recommended that financial provision should be made for its replacement. Proposed by Gareth Evans and seconded by Steve Young, agreed by all, with provision that Clerk should seek a more durable replacement.
9. Village Halls
Port Eynon – Chair advised that at the VEHMC last meeting there had been further discussion with respect to wayleave payments from WPD, and concerning the footpath passing alongside the hall.
Llanddewi – Chair advised that he had written to the Llanddewi Village Hall Trustees.
10. Knelston Burial Ground.
Clerk advised, on behalf of the Trustees, that there was nothing to report other than the issue of the notice board (above)
11. Any Other Business
Cllr Sheila Fisher again expressed concern over litter on the beach and the presence of dangerous wire netting buried and now emerging from the sand dunes. Cllr Fisher asked for consideration to be given to making Port eynon and Horton beaches a plastic free arear. Cllr David Lewis added that this was now the adder ‘season’ and enquired whether waning notices could be placed in the dune areas. Agreed to refer all to C&CS.
Cllr Steve Young raised the matter of abandoned cars and rubbish in the small open space behind 12 Minksland Road and the old Warden’s House. Issue to be referred to C&CS Environmental Dept.
Next meeting – Monday 17th June at 7 pm. At Knelston School.
There being no further business to discuss the Chair thanked all in attendance and the meeting adjourned at 9: 00 pm.
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Barry Stubbings (Clerk) Robert Fisher (Chair)