Plans to build two affordable housing estates in a Mid Wales town have been dismissed after councillors said the homes would cost too much for Powys people.

Proposals by PAR Homes for an estate of up to 19 homes next to Pentrosfa Road and for houses near Cae-Eithin, in Cefnllys Lane, both in Llandrindod Wells,were turned down by Powys County Council’s Radnorshire planning committee yesterday.

Almost 50 Llandrindod residents packed the meeting to watch the councillors make their decision, which was agreed unanimously.

They said both sites were outside the town’s settlement boundary, and there was no agreement in place linking the sale price of a house to the household’s ability to pay, which planning officers required in order to class it as affordable.

The developer had been hoping to rent the properties at £85 a week for two-bedroom dwellings and £100 a week for those with three bedrooms.

But Councillor Fred Barker, member for Llanbadarn Fawr, said: “The whole idea of developers jumping on the bandwagon of affordable housing appals me because what they are offering is not affordability – it’s a joke.

“I carried out a quick assessment of the average wage of people in this area and was told that, outside the county council and banks, average earnings varied between £13,000 and £15,000 per annum, while the council’s figures are edging up to £20,000.”

He said this meant developers needed to come to terms with providing properties in the region of £65,000 to £70,000.

“I don’t think it’s reasonable for developers to pluck a figure out of the air and say that’s what they’ll charge; there should be a rent officer to ensure rents charged are affordable,” he added.

Matthew Hall, for the applicant, said developers had been suffering “extreme difficulties” in providing houses for around £60,000.

“The council will have a hard time bringing affordability to the area on the basis of lack of sites,” he said.

By Mike Sivier