Trewern development returns despite local opposition

PLANS for a social housing development in a village near Welshpool could be given the green light by councillors at the second time of asking.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, December 18, councillors will receive an updated report on a scheme by Mid Wales Property Developments (MWP).

MWP wants to build 40 detached and semi-detached affordable homes on land at Gate Farm, Criggion Lane, Trewern near Welshpool.

When built, the scheme would be handed over to be run by a housing association as social rented housing.

The application includes the formation of access road and associated works.

The proposal appears again before councillors for a decision, two months after it was put on ice due to highway safety concerns.

At a committee meeting on October 23 senior planning officer Kate Bowen recommended that councillors approve the proposal.

But the application has come in for much criticism in the village and at the meeting local county councillor Amanda Jenner (Conservative – Trelystan and Trewern) told her colleagues on the committee that there were “several critical matters” that needed to be addressed before it could go ahead.

This included: “the overriding concern from the community relates to this proposed traffic crossing on the A458 trunk road through Trewern.

“This is a busy road with a 40 mile an hour limit, often sadly ignored.”

Cllr Jenner added that there was a history of accidents occurring in this area with some being “very serious.”

Her comments were supported by Trewern community councillor Gillian Corfield who urged the committee to visit the site and see for themselves the road safety issues near the site.

Cllr Corfield said: “We don’t want blood on our hands. Please defer this and come out for a meeting with us to get our local knowledge.”

Due to these arguments, councillors voted overwhelmingly to postpone a decision on the application until plans for a road crossing had been finalised.

In an updated appraisal of the scheme, Mrs Bowen said: “Since the previous meeting, the applicant has negotiated with local landowners and Welsh Government highways and found a location for a crossing to the west of the entrance to Criggion Lane, which would be on route to the services in the village, (school, playground etc).

“Further consultation has been completed since receipt of the additional location and Welsh Government Highways have since confirmed that they were satisfied that the proposal could be acceptable in technical terms.”

Due to this she has once again advised councillors to approve the application.