Plans for 16 houses at former community centre in Hay-on-Wye get the go ahead

.At a meeting of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority’s Planning committee on Tuesday, December 16, members received a report on plans by Pegasus Developments to redevelop the Oxford Road site in Hay.

Pegasus Developments are working with Hedyn Housing Association on the scheme which is for 12 two-bed houses and four one-bed flats for social rent tenure.

The proposal also includes access, car parking, landscaping, sustainable drainage, and associated works.

During a pre-application consultation held earlier this year flooding issues had been raised about the site.

Bannau Brycheiniog planning case officer Max Webb explained that outline planning permission to build 19 homes at the site had been approved in 2015 but had now lapsed.

Mr Webb said that that documents lodged with the application showed that flooding risk would be “appropriately” managed at the site and he recommended that members approve the development.

Committee chairman and independent lay member Steve Rayner said that a site visit had been conducted by the committee last week.

Councillor Simon Howarth (Monmouthshire) said: “I’ve got real reservations, my main objection to this site is the access onto the main road.

“I popped up there on Sunday to have another look, see the traffic flows and I have two gripes.

“We’re encouraging people to use their cars because there’s no adequate footway from the site to the town.

“Number two is that there’s no safe routes to school – how are children and families going to get out of this site safely? It’s a busy road.”

Cllr Howarth added: “Everything else with this is great but the highways authority have let us down here because they should have put in stipulations on how this connects safely to the town.”

Cllr Edwin Roderick (Powys) said: “What we have to remember is that Hay is a very old town and sadly we can’t have pavements and access as we would like.

“There has to be a little give and take on this one.”

He suggested that an advisory or condition could be placed on the planning permission to ensure that pedestrian safety is addressed in: “some way, shape or form.”

Cllr Roderick thought this could be done by providing a zebra crossing there. He added he would be happy to move the application to a vote and go ahead with the scheme.

Mr Webb explained that Powys Highways Authority had reviewed the traffic statement that had been part of the application and were “happy” with it.

Cllr Huw Williams (Powys) said: “I do believe it can be managed.

“I was familiar with the previous community centre and young people; mothers and toddlers were accessing the building.”

He pointed out that since then the road speed limit there had fallen to 20 mph and that a dropped kerb at the site would indicate where people should cross the road.

The committee then went to a vote which saw four members vote in favour of the proposal, one against and two abstain.