Testun llawn:
We are instructed by Mr. M. Thomas to make a formal representation in relation to the
settlement of Cross Inn within the Second Deposit Draft of the Carmarthenshire Local
Development Plan.
Our clients made a formal Candidate Site Submission in August 2018, which was referenced
SR/166/005, seeking the inclusion of their land within the development limits of Cross Inn as
part of the Replacement Local Development Plan.
The Council published a First Deposit Draft of the Replacement Local Development Plan in
January 2020. At that time, the Council revealed its analysis of a new “Settlement
Framework” as referred to within Policy SP3 “Sustainable Distribution – Settlement
Framework”, which categorised settlements in the County into Clusters and subsequently
into Tiers. We note that the Candidate Site Register has distinguished Cross Inn (SR/166)
as a separate settlement from Laugharne (SR/075) for the purposes of assessment of
representations. “Cross Inn” is accordingly listed as a Tier 4 “Rural Village”
The Council have published a “Site Assessment Table” (January 2023) which provides
details of the Council’s analysis of each received Candidate Site submission. We note that
our client’s land was considered as part of this process and as a result the Authority
concluded as follows: “The site is within a Tier 4 settlement and therefore any site proposal
will be considered under policies set out within the revised LDP.”
We note that Cross Inn continues in the Second Draft to be categorised as one of the Tier 4
“Rural Villages”, under Policy SP3. It forms one of a number of Rural Villages named, and
reproduced below, within “Cluster 6 – Western Carmarthenshire.”
Policy HOM3 of the Deposit Draft deals with small extensions to existing rural villages and
so provides a useful series of criteria in determining where such extensions would be
acceptable, namely the following:
• Minor infill or a small gap between the existing built form; or
• Logical extensions and/or rounding off of the development pattern that fits in with the
character of the village form and landscape; or
• Conversion or the sub-division of large dwellings.
Our clients land lies as part of the small holding of Parson’s Leys and is noted for fronting
the southern flank of the A4066 St. Clears to Laugharne main road, as shown below as
edged in red upon the location plan at Figure 1. It is notable that the opposite, northern flank
of the road is conspicuous by a continuous built-up frontage of individual residential
properties, all orientated to front the road. Parson’s Leys Cottage lies to the immediate
eastern side of the field frontage, and the main farmhouse and compacted range of holiday
cottages lie to the south off a separate vehicular driveway access. Established woodland lies
bordering the western perimeter of the field frontage.
The field frontage accordingly lies as an ideal small-scale residential opportunity to provide a
“logical extension / rounding-off to the development pattern that fits in with the character of
the village form and landscape” as required above under the provisions of Policy HOM3.
Our client has therefore given careful consideration to the categorisation of Cross Inn as a
Tier 4 “Rural Village”, and accordingly wholeheartedly welcomes and supports the decision
of the Authority to include the village in those settlements listed under Tier 4 within Cluster 6
of the Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan.
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