Kidwelly housing approved 15 years after the plans were submitted

OUTLINE plans for a large housing estate in Kidwelly have been given the green light, 15 years after they were submitted.

Carmarthenshire Council said the application for the development on land bordered by Monksford Street and Stockwell Lane was part of a historic backlog of cases which the authority has been resolving in recent months.

Rhodri Griffiths, the council’s head of place and sustainability, which includes planning services, said:

“In this case the determination has been delayed due to a combination of technical and legal matters, which include probate.”

Probate is the legal process of proving that a will is valid and confirming who has authority to administer the deceased’s estate.

The outline plans for a residential development off Monksford Street, including access and road layout, were submitted in October 2007 by David Lloyd George Developments Ltd, of Glanamman Workshops, Ammanford.

The plans didn’t mention a number of houses, but a transport assessment submitted on behalf of the developer suggested it would be 150.

An archaeological assessment was also submitted. It said the land retained former medieval field strips, and that it was a possibility that medieval burgage plots – narrow pieces of land behind a house which were rented out – could have existed there.

The planning approval includes several conditions, including a phasing scheme to be approved by the council, and that the first phase must not exceed 70 properties.

Mr Griffiths said the actual number of houses which could be built will be determined once a detailed – or reserved matters – planning application was submitted.

The outline consent also said affordable housing, education and open space contributions would be required from the developer.

Previous plans to build houses on the site were submitted in 2006 by David Lloyd George Developments.

The council turned down that application, saying it had not been shown that raising land levels to facilitate the development would not have an adverse impact on the character and visual appearance of the area.