Powys still waiting for Welsh Government planning inspector to be appointed to deal with Bronllys village green application
A housing development in a Powys village is still in limbo because a village green application on the site made over five years ago has not been decided yet
Councillor Tom Colbert, who represents Bronllys and Felin-fach, has asked Powys County Council senior staff for an update on the develpoment of the former Bronllys primary school site
Cllr Colbert (non-affiliated Independent) asked: “When can we expect the much-needed housing development at the site?
“Why is this process taking so long and what efforts are being made to expedite the decision?”
Head of housing, Andy Thompson explained that the village green application at Bronllys is “legally” a matter for the council to decide in its role as a “commons registration authority.”
The responsibility for deciding the application would ordinarily sit with councillors who make up the council’s Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee.
But in this instance the council owns the land.
Mr Thompson said: “There is case law around the steps that should be taken when deciding a contested application indicate that a hearing should be held.
“Because the council owns and has an interest in developing the land, we have taken steps to appoint an independent inspector to hear the case and provide a recommendation for the committee.
“We have commissioned an inspector via PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) as their inspectors have expertise in common land casework and in holding hearings of this nature, where there is a high level of public interest.
“PEDW have not been able to allocate the case to an inspector yet due to workload pressures.
“They have the required documentation, and we continue to request updates from them to expedite the matter.”
Due to this Mr Thompson adds that he is “afraid” that the council does not have a timescale for when the application will be concluded.
Pans to demolish the school were approved by county planners and the building was flattened a year ago.
In April 202O a village green application was lodged with the council for part of the site by the Bronllys Green Group.
In September 2021, plans from the council’s housing service to build a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes and two adapted bungalows at the site were approved by councillors on the Planning committee.
In April 2022 the council’s housing service formally opposed the village green application – this is because if it is approved it would “impact” the number of houses that can be built there.
At a Planning committee meeting in August 2022 councillors agreed with an officer recommendation that an independent planning inspector is brought in to look at the village green application
Bronllys Green Group have said that the council’s proposal would take away half of the children’s playground which has been a vital part of the village since 1972.
Bronllys, along with Talgarth Primary School, closed its doors on August 31, 2017, as part of a school reorganisation programme in Powys.
A new 150-place community primary school, Ysgol Y Mynydd Du was opened in Talgarth to take pupils from both schools.
