‘Unsustainable’ house to be built on cliffside as ‘only way Welsh speaking family can stay in area’

Katy Jenkins, local democracy reporter

A “high quality” house on the Ceredigion coast has been given planning permission against the advice of officers.

The application for a large house in Llangrannog was recommended for refusal as it was considered to be outside the substantive built form of the village, in an unsustainable location, and it’s not an affordable or rural enterprise dwelling.

A number of councillors argued the site was within the village and highway concerns could only be dealt with by council improvements.

Local member Cllr Gwyn James told the committee on December 9 that allowing the applicant to build on family land would allow him and his partner to stay in the area, highlighting the number of second homes in the area and the decreasing numbers of families speaking Welsh at home.

Cllr Bryan Davies said that the support of the community council would not have been given if there were objections locally, adding “if the road is as bad as that the highways department should spend money on improving it.”

A section 106 agreement of a ten per cent contribution on sale of the house was approved.

‘Eyesore’

The contemporary design of the house was called “high quality” by officers, and it would be an ‘upside down’ home which maximised the views of the coast with large glazing areas.

It will be a two storey building, that officers said would be “exceptionally prominent” on the cliff but councillors argued other houses were a greater “eyesore” than this new house would be.

The house measures 14.9m by 15.9m and 5.3m to eaves height and 10m to ridge height, with a large outdoor patio area that wraps around the front and sides of the house.

On the ground floor there will be three bedrooms, a garage, bathroom, and office, with an open plan kitchen and living space at first floor.