A DECISION on a scheme for 30 affordable homes in a Ceredigion seaside town, recommended for approval despite many local objections, has been put on hold so councillors can visit the site.
Housing association Barcud is seeking permission from Ceredigion County Council for the 100 per cent affordable scheme at Central Car Park, Towyn Road, New Quay, following an earlier pre-application consultation.
The application was recommended for conditional approval at the February 12 meeting of the council’s development management committee.
The site currently operates as a pay and display car park, owned and managed by Barcud as a commercial enterprise, which it says it could cease at any time.
The proposal includes 10 one-bed flats, six two-bed flats, 10 two-bed semi-detached houses and four three-bed semis, and keeping 91 of the parking spaces at the site, which council officers say could be secured “in perpetuity” if the scheme is approved.
New Quay Town Council has objected to the proposals, raising concerns including the loss of parking spaces and its impact on the tourism industry, a lack of public transport in the town to cater for additional residents, and also questions the demand for one-bed units in the town.
The scheme saw 29 objections raising issues including the impact of the development on tourism and the local economy through the loss of parking provision, questions about who would reside in the units, social housing not needed and inappropriate for the town, and the impact on local services.
One objector even claimed the scheme would lead to police being called to New Quay more frequently and families would “be coming from Birmingham,” with the council receiving funding for them if it was approved.
In a report for planners, the county’s Senior Housing Officer has said the greatest demand for housing in Ceredigion is for one-bed properties, with 245 in the Aberaeron ‘region,’ and “over 1,900 in the county,” with the intention to apply a local lettings policy, which prioritises the applicants from the immediate area, adding that New Quay was a “very desirable area to live,” and it was likely that “if housing becomes available then it will be oversubscribed”.
Speaking at the February meeting, objector Joanne Flannigan raised concerns about the impact on local water quality from the development, access to the site, traffic congestion and loss of parking spaces, along with the visual impact of the development.
Agent Dylan Green said there was a need for affordable housing locally and Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water had raised no objections to the scheme.
Calling for a deferral for a site inspectional panel visit, along with a ‘cooling-off’ period, Cllr Marc Davies said he “totally understood” the need for social housing in the county, but raised concerns about the level of public transport in the area and the town council’s own concerns.
Members agreed to a site inspection panel site visit before any decision was made, the application returning to a future committee meeting.
A previous application at the site, for 39 dwellings, was refused in 2020.
