Guilsfield calls for long-term plan to avoid another ‘carbuncle’ development

Guilsfield residents made it clear at a public meeting on Friday night that the village needs a long-term plan drawn up in co-ordination with Powys County Council to stop another “carbuncle” being built.

With the deadline closing yesterday for the initial phase of the county council’s new Local Development Plan (LDP), which will guide development through to 2037, nearly 100 residents attended a public meeting (pictured) organised by the community council to encourage participation in the consultation process.

While more affordable housing for young local people was high on many attendees’ agendas, a petition calling for an end to any new developments surpassed 200 signatures on the night having started several days earlier.

But it is the construction of nine social homes on the former garage site in the heart of the village that has caused widespread anger, especially with the development happening just 50 metres from the ancient church and backing on to the village’s heritage area where residents face huge planning hurdles to even replace a front window.

Nearly 50 more homes are currently under construction at two further sites in the village, with seven more parcels of land set to be included for development in the next LDP.

“I felt it was an excellent meeting with a range of opinions expressed,” said Cllr Ian Harrison, the village’s county councillor and chair of the community council.

“After 60 years of the arbitrary allocation of Guilsfield land to property developers, our residents have said “enough is enough”.

“We agreed that we need a long-term plan to develop the community as a whole, not simply be the recipient of ad hoc developments doled out by a Planning Department with no connection to our incredible valley.

“We called it ‘Guilsfield 2050’ and we will develop our vision, starting in the New Year, with all residents being given the opportunity to contribute.”

Cllr Harrison, who called the new terraced housing (pictured) a "carbuncle development" last week, said he delivered over 60 written responses to the consultation by hand to County Hall yesterday, with the deadline coming last night. Powys County Council will now spend several months going through responses from across the county before embarking on the next phase of their plan.

Guilsfield is thought to be the largest village in Powys, and one of the largest in Wales.