A NEW retail park in Carmarthenshire has been given the go ahead after several disruptions. 


Plans for Conygar to develop land at Cross Hands West with a host of shops, a food store, a public house and a 521 space Car Park have been approved at the third time of asking a planning committee. 


Despite being deferred twice this year by Carmarthenshire council’s planning committee, Conygar said the retail park will create more than 100 jobs during construction and 260 full time jobs.


The Cross Hands West site was previously set to be a Sainsbury’s store but the supermarket pulled out and sold the land last year.

The scheme is one of a number of applications or pending applications for retail development in Cross Hands. 


There are planning applications pending at Leekes and the Co-op, an existing planning permission for a third scheme at the old Farmers Co-operative site within the business park and a pending planning application for development in Ammanford in the Ammanford Cross Hands Growth Area.


The application for the retail park was first deferred after an 11-hour intervention by the Co-op, and then again last month after Conygar challenged an application by Leekes department store to build a shop near the Cross Hands store. 


An officers’ report said that the application had been carefully assessed on its own merits and in light of the other pending applications in terms of retail need, impact and the locations of the proposals.


The planning committee heard from an agent for Leekes objecting to the scheme and an agent for Conygar supporting it.


The planning committee voted to approve the scheme with 14 votes in favour, one against and two abstentions.