Concerns raised over plans to build 67 affordable homes

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

Amendments to approved plans for a scheme for 67 affordable homes in a west Wales village have been lodged with council planning officers.

In an application given officer delegated powers of approval at the February meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Ateb Group Limited sought permission for a “100 per cent affordable” residential development of 57 houses and 10 bungalows, and associated works, at land off The Kilns, Llangwm, the site already having permission for 54 homes.

An officer report, recommending approval, said a social housing grant has been secured for the first phase of the proposed development, for 25 dwellings, with the mix of the second phase indicative at this stage.

Issues

Llangwm Community Council had raised issues including sewerage system capacity, a lack of facilities in the village and at nearby Cleddau Reach School for the size of the development, and potential traffic congestion.

Eighteen letters of concern, including from Cleddau Reach VC school were also received, raising issues including traffic and parking, a loss of privacy, the scale and design of the development, the scheme representing a “fundamental change in the character of the village,” being “in excess of the need for affordable housing in Llangwm and nearby villages,” and “likely anti-social behaviour associated with the development,”.

Concerns were also raised on the impact the development would have on water quality from the increased foul water draining demands of the scheme.

Impact

Delegated approval to the council’s head of planning was granted, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement which includes financial contributions to mitigate the impact of development on local schools, Cleddau Reach VC and Haverfordwest High VC, with an agreement reached in April, including an agreed £10,000 contribution towards bus stop provision.

Since then, fresh calls – in the form of four separate applications – have been made to vary some of the conditions in the initial approval, including a condition to submit a Construction & Environment Management Plan (CEMP), which the applicants now say has been prepared, a call to discharge an access details condition, a landscape condition, and a drainage condition.

The four applications will be considered by county planners at a later date.