Plans for nine west-Wales homes and community cycling track revealed

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans have been submitted for a new “high-quality” housing development in west Wales featuring nine homes and a community cycling pump track.

A Ceredigion County Council application to Ceredigion County Council, through agent Atriarc Planning seeks permission for a housing development scheme of nine homes and a community pump/cycle track on land adjacent to Maes Y Deri Road, Lampeter.

The scheme compromises of two one-bedroom Flats, three two- bed homes, three three-bed homes, and one four-bed home; two of the units affordable to meet the council’s requirement for 20 per cent affordable homes, as well as the all-weather ‘pump track’.

A pump track is a purpose-built track for cycling featuring banked turns and features designed to be ridden completely by riders “pumping”—generating momentum by up and down body movements, instead of pedalling, originally a mountain biking and BMX concept.

A supporting statement says the site was historically a school field prior to the relocation of the school in the 90s, it was looked after by the town council as an open green space until their lease ran out in 2019 and was not renewed on cost grounds, adding: “The site is just outside of Lampeter conservation area, with grade-II-listed St Peters Church adjacent to the site.

“Local councillors are keen to see an outside amenity space kept and developed as a pump track – which is one of the aims of this proposal.”

It said meetings had taken place with the town council to develop the design of both the pump track and the housing and agree on the option selected for the pump track location and relationship with the housing, access, and surrounding area.

“The meetings with Lampeter Town Council have been significant in evolving the design and informing the brief. They shared prior feasibility work done on the site for a pump track, and shared insights and concerns that local residents would feel about the project. Safety was of upmost concern and options were explored prior to agreeing a route forward.”

It goes on to say: “The proposal has been developed in conversation with Lampeter Town Council, who identified the need for additional community infrastructure within the town. A core principle has been to ensure the community pump track is not a token gesture but a genuinely accessible, high-quality community asset, integrated into the heart of the scheme,” concluding: “This new proposal delivers significant and tangible benefits for Lampeter and the wider county through the creation of high-quality homes and a pump track.”

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