Affordable housing plans approved for seaside village

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter

The “final hurdle” has been cleared for plans by one of the UK’s largest housebuilders to build 72 homes, 25 of them affordable, on the outskirts of a popular seaside village.

Persimmon Homes originally applied in 2022 to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for the scheme on  2.26 hectare area of land adjoining the long-established Sandyhill Park residential estate, Saundersfoot.

The application, including 47 open market dwellings, proposed a variety of detached, semi-detached, terraced and apartment properties to create an “attractive and integrated extension to Saundersfoot”.

Delegated approval

The application was given delegated approval when it came before the national park’s July development management committee, with conditions including the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement relating to the affordable housing.

The affordable housing units will be split into four low-cost ownership units and 21 socially rented units, the report for national park planners said; the 35 per cent affordable percentage taking precedent over an affordable housing policy requirement of 50 per cent as it is designated as an allocated site.

As well as the affordable housing element and an open space provision, the scheme included a financial contribution to cover the contribution towards Active Travel Routes within the local area (Saundersfoot Harbour to New Hedges).

Land purchase

After that approval, late last year Persimmon Homes West Wales and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park signed the S106 agreement; and now an agreement for the purchase of land for the scheme has been secured, meaning all the pieces are in place for the builder to start works on site, with hopes the first properties will be on the market this summer.

Welcoming the agreement, Persimmon Homes West Wales’ Managing Director, Stuart Phillips, said: “We are delighted to have cleared this final hurdle that now means we can commence works at Sandy Hill to deliver much-needed new, high-quality homes to Saundersfoot.

“Persimmon is determined to leave a positive and lasting legacy where we build and we look forward to working with the local community and its leaders as we bring forward these new homes.

“I want to give my thanks to everyone involved in the Persimmon team as well as the local planning authority for all the work they’ve put in to get to this point.”

The developer donates £48,000 across Wales each year to good causes and organisations as part of its Community Champions initiative. Recent local recipients include Saundersfoot Cricket Club, Saundersfoot Rotary Club’s Tenderfoot programme, and the 2025 Saundersfoot New Year’s Swim.

Local community council Saundersfoot had objected to the scheme on a number of grounds, also asking for a caveat that no property is bought for second-home holiday use.