Housing scheme moving forward

At the Powys County Council planning meeting, councillors heard two planning applications back to back on an already agreed outline application for seven homes on land near Sarn Village Hall.

On a field now used for grazing, seven affordable homes will be built and planning officers had been happy to go ahead with the scheme.

But as it is a scheme by the council itself it needed to go in front of the planning committee.

Kerry Community Council had objected to the amended plans to build seven but were supportive of building five homes at the site.

The community councillors felt that with seven homes in this style would change the character of the village.

Planning officer, Bryn Pryce, said: “This is an application for reserved matters for a consent that was approved last year.

“This application considers the details reserved at the outline stage and includes access, appearance and landscape.

“On site there will be two, two bed terraced houses and one three bedroomed house, and four two bed bungalows.”

Mr Pryce added that the objection by Kerry Community Council had already been nullified as the principle of building seven homes on the plot had already been granted.

Councillor Les George, member for Caersws asked: “Is it compatible with the area?”

Mr Pryce replied that houses in the area had been built in a mix of different materials.

Councillor Kathryn Silk wondered why both applications had not been consolidated in one.

Mr Pryce added: “This has been submitted in two parts of which both sets of conditions will need to be discharged.”

The affordable home amendment was to discharge condition eight.

This is to ensure that the scheme complies with the affordable housing definition as understood in the Technical Advice Notes that form part of Planning Policy Wales.

The first application was moved by Councillor E Michael Jones and the second by Cllr Hywel Lewis .

They were both passed unanimously.

Story by Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter