Welsh Government planners decided not to intervene on controversial housing scheme

Elgan Hearn - Local democracy reporter

Controversial plans to build homes on land at risk of flooding can now receive the formal green light, because Welsh Government planners will not be taking over the decision making process.

The application to build 29 homes at Pen-y-Borfa in in Caersws on the village outskirts is by Towyn Marine Properties Ltd on behalf of the landowners Alwyn and Geraint Jarman.

The site has been allocated for housing in the Local Development Plan and an outline planning application for 43 houses and sheltered accommodation at the site had been approved in 2020.

In 2023 an application to amend the approval by deleting the sheltered housing part of the proposal was refused.

At the time Powys planners advised that a new planning application would be needed to change the size of the development, and this was the application in front of councillors.

In February it was brought in front of Powys County Council’s Planning committee for a decision and was backed by the majority of councillors.

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Process

However, opponents of the proposal had already asked the Welsh Government planners at PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) to intervene and take over the process.

Following the decision by councillors the planning officer’s report and committee decision was forwarded to Cardiff for Welsh Government planning inspectors to mull over.

Earlier this month it emerged  that Welsh Government planners had reached a decision of “non-intervention” on the application.

Welsh Government head of planning casework, Hywel Butts said: “I have given consideration to the issues raised by the application, the contents of the
officer’s report, and all other relevant information.

“Having considered the application I have determined that the issues raised are not of more than local importance.

“In view of this, I consider the application should not be called in for determination by the Welsh ministers and it is now for your authority to determine the application as it sees fit.”

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Application

This means that the council can now officially authorise planning permission for the development.

At the planning committee meeting on February 19 some councillors had wanted to delay deciding the application so that a sustainable drainage application could be made which would look at all the measures to lessen the risk of flooding at the site.

However others believed that the application would be granted on appeal and voted in favour of the scheme.