RESIDENTS in a Towy Valley town are concerned with plans to build 88 properties in the area.

Plans for the proposed development were submitted to Carmarthenshire County Council by POBL housing.

The 88 homes would be on land at Parc Pencrug and Maes y Farchnad in Llandeilo and there would be one access route.

The residents – including Llandeilo’s mayor Christoph Fischer – met with Carmarthenshire MP Jonathan Edwards to express their concerns.

Mr Fischer said: “I’m disappointed that the application put forward hasn’t addressed the main issues and concerns, mainly the unsuitable access road for 88 buildings through one residential road. Without a second access to the new development, I cannot see how it could succeed.

“It breaks my heart to oppose any building development, but looking at the plans filled with Nissan Micra sized cars, I don’t think these are apt.

“We need real homes and living space. Profit for the company must not come at the expense of that, nor cause traffic chaos in the Parc Pencrug estate and wider Llandeilo.

“Objections voiced by residents and the town council have been ignored or brushed away without convincing argument. Several official studies about the area have not been referenced. I’d love to support the development if the builders and planners would put the required effort in to make it really fit into the existing infrastructure.”

Mr Edwards added: “It was evident that residents are very anxious regarding the proposal and feel that there has been little meaningful engagement with the public during the consultation process. The proposed road access is clearly unsuitable and will no doubt have a negative impact on local residents and the wider community of Llandeilo.

“Residents are concerned regarding increased traffic, dust and noise in the area and the fact that the access road closely passes a children’s play area. There are also concerns regarding the access to education, GP and dental services which are already under pressure.

“Many local elected representatives are objecting to the proposal, and I would sincerely hope the local planning authority consider all these points whilst determining the application.”

Andrew Rees, Senior Project Manager, Pobl Group, said: “As a respected not-for-profit provider of high-quality homes across the whole of South Wales, the Pobl Development teams work very closely with their partnering consultants in order bring the best quality designs forward, from early inception, right through to completion, leaving customers happy in their homes and with the surrounding environment.

“Maes Y Gwenyn in Cross Hands is an excellent local example of our mission to build genuinely affordable homes and create places where people want to live. We intend for Parc Pencrug to not just reflect that standard but improve on it.  

“With the lack of current housing options in the area, we see Parc Pencrug being particularly popular with those living locally who are in real housing need, those 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 due to lack of options and are looking to re-locate back. During our public engagement event on the 8th December last year, we met and spoke with these individuals and their families who look forward positively to having these options available to them.  

“Our commitment to working in partnership with the communities we have a presence in means that at that meeting we were genuinely keen to listen and understand and we have sought to go further than what is required as part of the statutory planning process. In addition to meeting with local representatives including Cllr Ed Thomas, as far back as 2021, with quarterly updates prior to our event at the Cawdor in December, we engaged directly with local residents at the meeting, explained our plans and sought to onboard as much feedback as practical when we made our submission.  

"Further to this, our team has also visited the area where we were able to speak to some individuals on their doorstep about the proposed development, and have written to residents, at all times encouraging feedback from the local community.

“Understandably, the site access is a key concern for the current residents. Should we be successful in obtaining consent, we would expect that the Council would seek to include a planning condition which ensures that we actively manage and control noise, dust, site traffic and local disruption, alongside maintaining safe access to the children's play area. These are all things that we are absolutely committed to as a member of the Considerate Constructors Scheme

“The original housing allocation included a wider area of land, but Pobl have no control or legal interest in the area to the North of the site.

“We appreciate the concerns noted by the Mayor but take confidence in the fact that our plans for Parc Pencrug are fully in line with the requirements set out by the Local Planning Authority. We believe that this development will enhance the local community and are happy to discuss the scheme, and any particular concerns, with Mr Edwards and Mr Fischer.”

Karl Von Webber of LVW Highways, said: “The Transport Statement prepared is underpinned by a local knowledge of the existing highway network and considers access, trip rates and modes of transport at various times of the day (peak and off peak) specific to the trunk roads (A40 and A483) and the roads that lead off this culminating at the proposed development.  In addition to this data from “TRICS” (Trip Rate Information Computer Service), a database of trip rates for developments used in the UK for transport planning purposes, has been utilised in conjunction with actual on-site data to model scenarios specific to the proposed development. Based on this, it is considered that the development is appropriate and acceptable in traffic and transportation terms.

“The traffic movements associated with the proposed development can be accommodated on the highway network and will not have a detrimental impact on highway safety or the free flow of traffic using the local highway network. In coming to this conclusion, the County Council’s Highway Design Guide, Manual for Streets, Manual for Street 2 and the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges have been used as reference documents. We conclude that, with respect to transport, this development complies with the Welsh Government’s development guidance as set out in TAN18 Transport, Planning Policy Wales and is appropriate and acceptable in traffic and transport terms.  The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act put in place four aspects of well-being: economic, social, environmental and cultural and this development assists with meeting these aspects.”

The plans can be seen in full at www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/planningapplications and searching for the reference PL/06580.