Major housing development for Llandeilo unveiled

DETAILS of a major housing development in Llandeilo have been unveiled.

Social housing provider Pobl Group wants to build 88 properties by Parc Pencrug, on the town’s northern edge. It said 34 of them – 22 houses and 12 flats – would be available for social rent. The remaining 54 two, three and four-bedroom homes would be for sale on the open market or via shared ownership.

Plans for the development, which Pobl is calling Parc Pencrug, are being assessed by Carmarthenshire Council officers. Some people living close by have already raised concerns, while Andrew Rees, Pobl senior project manager, said it would be a high quality and energy-efficient scheme in a “truly beautiful setting”.

He added: “With the lack of current housing options in the area, we see Parc Pencrug being particularly popular with those living locally who are looking to get onto the property ladder for the first time, or for people who have grown up in the area but have had to move away previously.”

The sloping land in question is part of a larger site which has been allocated for the long-term development of up to 215 homes. Access to the 88-home estate would be from the existing Parc Pencrug – and some people living on or near it have objected. Resident Robert Evans said in an email to the council’s planning department: “The quality of life and well-being of the residents of Parc Pencrug would clearly be adversely affected by all the extra vehicle traffic that would be funnelled entirely through Parc Pencrug as a result of the development both during its construction and subsequently.”

An email from a group of Maes Elfryn residents said the proposal was “disgusting” and that the new homes would overlook elderly people’s bungalows.

David Jones, of Parc Pencrug, said while he supported new housing in Llandeilo he felt Pobl Group’s scheme was poorly designed and untenable, partly because it could, he claimed, increase harmful phosphate levels in the nearby River Towy.

However, a design and access statement submitted on behalf of Pobl said the development would comply with national phosphate guidance in designated special areas of conservation. It would achieve this, it said, in two ways: by incorporating a drainage basin for surface water run-off; and also by intercepting surface water run-off from homes at nearby Maes y Farchnad and diverting this water into a new soakaway rather than it going into a public sewer. The design statement claimed these measures would result in a “net reduction” in phosphates reaching the Towy.

Meanwhile a transport statement on behalf of Pobl said all the homes would have at least two parking spaces, that there were bus stops within 500m – on Carmarthen Road – and that roads leading to the development were considered suitable to serve it.

If planning permission was to be approved, Pobl would need to sign an agreement with the council to ensure the 34 social rent properties remained as such in perpetuity. A financial contribution would also be required towards education provision, plus potentially a further sum towards cycling and pedestrian links.