Plans for new house in Pembrokeshire dodge extra affordable housing costs

PLANS for a new house in south Pembrokeshire almost incurred more than £1,600 extra in affordable housing costs due to being in a different settlement area to what was initially said.

Applicant Mr Briers sought to build a new four-bedroom home near Laubobange, Hill Lane, Kilgetty, which was recommended for conditional approval at the July 25 meeting of the county council’s planning committee.

A report for members said: “The application site is an area of land which is partly within the settlement for Kilgetty which is accessed from the north via the A478. The application site consists of an existing access driveway running north to south from the A478, which opens out into a rectangular area of land.

“The majority of this area of land, lies outside of the settlement boundary and therefore within the countryside. The main part of the site is fairly level, with a dwelling to the north known as Laubobange (under the ownership of the applicant), with further dwellings (within the settlement) to the southwest and west of the site.”

The report said there was a local needs affordable housing contribution policy in Kilgetty for 20 per cent of dwellings to be affordable on any housing development site.

“As this is a windfall site of one dwelling, a financial contribution of £10,175.00 is required,” the report added.

At the meeting members were told it was incorrect to define the property as being in the Kilgetty settlement area, but was instead in the nearby Pentlepoir area, which would incur a contribution of £12,718.75 instead.

Local county councillor, and committee chairman, Cllr Jacob Williams said he was happy to back the recommendation for approval, but felt the applicant should pay the lower contribution previously agreed.

A counter-proposal to charge the higher rate, made by Cllr Jordan Ryan, failed to gain a seconder.

Members agreed to approve the plans, with the lower contribution rate.