Company appeals after housing plan refused

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Welsh Government planning inspectors have received an appeal to overturn a decision to refuse plans for four homes in Four Crosses.

The application to develop land next to Maes Offa, The Street, in the village was refused by Powys County Council planning officers in April last year.

However, a previous outline planning application had been approved in 2021 which established the principle of developing the site which is next to the A483 road.

A detailed proposal was submitted by David Davies of Ashvale Construction Limited was lodged with Powys planners in June 2023. Ashvale want to build four detached dwellings with double garages at the site.

These houses would be a mix of four and five bedrooms, each would have detached garage further parking space for two vehicles and electric vehicle charging points would be fitted at the site.

In their decision notice, Powys planners explained there were two reasons to refuse the application.

One was because “the proposed development fails to make provision for affordable housing in accordance with policy”.

The second reason is that the applicant had not provided enough information to judge whether it complied with Nature and Conservation planning policy.

Heal Planning have lodged an argument with PEDW (Planning and Environment Decision Wales) on behalf of Ashvale and say that there is no need for affordable housing to be part of the scheme.

Heal Planning said: “It is acknowledged that the proposed layout of the site has altered slightly between the outline application and the subject full application. The area of the site is still only 0.23 hectares.”

This is just smaller than the 0.25-hectare site area and one house shy of the five which triggers the need to have an affordable dwelling as part of the scheme.

The problem for the developer is that an embankment used as a sound barrier covers a total area of 518 square metres and takes the site over the size limit for affordable homes.

Heal Planning argue that this area should be taken out of the site area calculation.

They said: “It is accordingly considered that alternative forms of contributions are not required, as there is no need for any provision in the first instance.”

Ashvale Developments received planning permission last September to build eight homes on land next to Penyfoel Farm in Middletown. Two of these dwellings would be affordable homes.

Heal Planning said: “This provision is far in excess of what is required and therefore a trade-off would apply.”

A green infrastructure statement is also included in the appeal documentation in a bid to comply with Nature and Conservation planning policy.

Heal Planning said: “As both of the refusal reasons imposed by the LPA (Local Planning Authority) have been addressed and overcome by the appellant, the proposed development should be allowed.”

A decision is expected soon.