Outline plans for housing near railway line refused

Bruce Sinclair – Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to build homes near a railway line on the edge of a village have been turned down, in part due to no formal financial contribution to affordable housing, despite an informal offer being made.

Robert Bowen, through agent Ceri Davies Planning Ltd, had applied to Pembrokeshire planners for outline permission to develop the three plots on a vacant site between Westaways and The Laburnums, Station Road, Kilgetty.

The proposal was supported by Kilgetty/Begelly Community Council, but one letter of concern by a member of the public was raised, citing fears including an overbearing scale of the development and impact of the foundations on neighbouring properties.

Character

A supporting statement through the agent said: “The planning application involves a proposal for residential development at a vacant site adjacent to Westaways.

“The application is in outline form only with all detailed matters reserved for future consideration. Indicative plans accompanying this submission show the siting of three dwellings with garden amenity space, boundary treatments and vehicular access and parking areas.”

It conceded: “There is no doubt that the siting of three dwellings at this location would introduce built form at an otherwise undeveloped site, however, it would not represent a prominent or conspicuous form of development.

“While the proposed development would inevitably change the character of the site itself, the proposed changes would not be to the extent that would result in an unacceptable impact on local amenity in terms of visual amenity.

“The proposal would make beneficial use of an otherwise redundant site.”

The agent’s statement said that the proposal for three open-market units fell below the affordable housing provision threshold, but said: “Nevertheless, the applicant accepts that a contribution through a commuted sum towards the provision of affordable housing will be sought as part of this application.

“The applicant is prepared into a Section 106 agreement with the council to secure the above provision; for that purpose, the legal agreement will be completed at the appropriate time.”

Affordable

An officer report recommending refusal said that, while there were positive economic benefits to the development, it failed to comply with policy as the application was not supported by a Green Infrastructure Statement (GIS) and no biodiversity enhancement have been provided on the indicative plans.

It added: “The application is not supported by a Unilateral Undertaking and Certificate of Title to secure a financial payment (15 per cent) towards local needs affordable housing and therefore fails to accord with the requirements of policy GN.28 (Local Needs Affordable Housing) of the LDP.”

It also said the acceptable density was actually lower than policy.

The application was refused by officers under delegated powers on the basis of an indicative density of 19 dwelling per hectare rather than 25, no direct offer of an affordable housing commuted sum, and no Green Infrastructure Statement.