Councillors back changes to 52-home scheme despite low affordable housing

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

Amendments to a 52-home scheme, which will provide just four affordable homes due to financial viability concerns, are critical for its delivery in a “stagnant housing market,” councillors heard.

In an application recommended for approval at the January meeting of Pembrokeshire County council’s planning committee, Wakefield Developments Pembrokeshire Ltd sought permission for amendments to a previously-granted scheme for a development of 52 homes on land east of Pilgrims Way, Roch.

The £10m mixed units scheme, granted back in 2024, had drawn concerns that only four affordable units would be provided against a 20 per cent requirement, the developer citing viability reasons for the low number.

Amendments proposed to that scheme included a change in some of the house types, including from apartment arrangement to semidetached town houses, changes to some of the sizing, repositioning of some units, an embankment being replaced by a footpath, and a substation being introduced to serve the new housing estate’s electricity supply.

A report for members accompanying the application said: “As previously accepted and again assessed by virtue of [a valuation] the proposed development is not fully policy compliant, insofar as it cannot deliver the indicative 20 per cent affordable housing sought [by policy].

“However, a substantial positive social impact will arise through the provision of housing, including four one-bed affordable housing units, in meeting identified needs for both market and affordable housing.

“Furthermore, financial obligations as agreed and secured by the extant parent application towards the mitigation of adverse impacts in relation to education and highways, remain as being essential to ensuring that the development is acceptable in planning terms and remain unchanged by this S73 application.”

18 objections to the original scheme were received, raising concerns including an “inadequate” affordable housing level, it being a high-density development for a rural area, a loss of green space, the size of some of the homes, and pressures on existing services and facilities, and fears it may lead to an increase in second homes.

Nolton & Roch Community Land Trust had raised its concerns about a lack of affordable homes at the development, calling for a 20 per cent affordable homes element, as recommended by policy.

Speaking at the January 2026 meeting, agent Gethin Beynon welcomed the recommendation of approval, saying the amendments were critical for the delivery of the development, improving its saleability “in what is a stagnant housing market”.

He said the developers were still building 52 units, in what was “one of the very few new housing developments of this scale in Pembrokeshire” due to limitations placed by the ongoing nitrates issue.

Local member Cllr Nick Neumann said the local community council was supportive of the scheme, with the new housing helping the viability of the local school; Cllr Brian Hall later moving approval of the amendments.

The latest application was backed by 11 votes to one.