Decision on controversial affordable housing scheme defferred again

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter

Contentious plans to build 30 affordable homes on a seaside town car park, which has sparked petitions both for and against, will not be decided on until next month at the earliest, after a decision was previously put on hold twice.

Housing association Barcud is seeking permission from Ceredigion County Council for the 100 per cent affordable scheme at Central Car Park, Towyn Road, New Quay, following an earlier pre-application consultation.

The application was recommended for conditional approval at the March meeting of the council’s development management committee, having been deferred from the February meeting for a site visit.

Commercial enterprise

The site currently operates as a pay and display car park, owned and managed by Barcud as a commercial enterprise, which it says it could cease at any time.

The proposal includes keeping 91 of the parking spaces at the site, which council officers say could be secured “in perpetuity” if the scheme is approved.

New Quay Town Council has objected to the proposals, raising concerns including the loss of parking spaces and its impact on the tourism industry, a lack of public transport in the town to cater for additional residents, and also questions the demand for one-bed units in the town, and 29 objections raised similar issues.

At the March committee meeting, members heard New Quay Traders Association had “submitted a number of significant documents” in which they “raised real concerns as to procedural irregularities”.

The application was deferred to a future planning committee for the additional documents to be assessed along with any further information from the applicant; expected to be the April 9 meeting.

Petition

Since that deferral, New Quay Traders Association has created an online change.org petition against the scheme, Save New Quay car park -Protect our future, saying the loss of the car parking would have a detrimental impact of local business.

“The car park is central to our local economy and taking away this space will lead to a significant decrease in visitors and tourists. It’s a simple equation – less parking equals less visitors.

“Less visitors will impact our economy and cause job losses. Not only will this impact economic growth but also cause local congestion and less spaces for local residents.”

An alternative petition was launched shortly afterwards, Build Homes for Locals in New Quay: Demand Ceredigion County Council Approve This Scheme, claiming locals are afraid to support the scheme due to “a backlash from second-homers”.

“These houses are not intended for second home ownership or for outsiders but are destined for families and individuals who have always been part of our town’s rich tapestry.

“Unfortunately, many young families and locals who work and live here have been pushed aside due to tourism and second-homers, often at the expense of our own people.

“Local people are afraid to speak out in support of this application due to a backlash from second-homers so we ask that you lend our voice support here.”

The application is not listed for the April meeting; a Ceredigion County Council spokesperson said: “Additional information was provided by the applicant following the last development management committee. This is being assessed, and the case will be reported back in due course.”

The application is expected to return to a future committee meeting, the next one scheduled to take place on May 14.

Sara Powell, representing the New Quay Traders Association has previously said the group will be “formally requesting that this application is called in for independent review by Welsh Government,” adding: “The loss of this car park poses an existential threat to New Quay’s economy, and CCC’s handling of the matter so far has only increased public distrust in the integrity of the process.”