Include site in the Plan

1. Introduction
We would to include a field at the rear of Llannon Road, B4306 in the new Local
Development Plan. It can be found behind an area of land which has been included
the last LDP of a lane serving the Gwendreath Row development.

2. Site Appraisal
This candidate site consists of a gentle sloping field at the southern site of
Pontyberem. Mature hedgerows form the western and southern boundaries whilst
streams define the eastern and northern boundaries.
The parcel of land is sloping towards the North and an access lane. It is of a
rectangular shape and can be found just outside the settlement limits of Pontyberem
Unitary development plan.

3. Access
There is no direct existing access onto the main road. Access can be achieved either
though the adjoining field which was already include in the LDP or through another
adjoining field which the owner has put forward as a candidate site.

4. Flooding
The site lies well above the water level and in good distance from any water course.
No evidence can be found on the flood maps issued by the Environmental Agency –
Wales.

5. Pollution
This field is currently greenfield sites and use for grazing.
No evidence of a past development can be found.
The radon level is under 1%.
No known contamination as happened to the land.
Not adjacent to a mineral buffer zone
The site does not lie in a sandstone recognised area.
No overhead power cable run through the field.
No activities have taken place which would have resulted in a contamination of the
soil or the sub soil.

6. Main services
All services: mains water supply, foul sewer, electricity and high-speed electronic
communications networks, are in the next field along. The area is serviced by the
local bin collection.

7. Historic Importance
The site is not in a conservation area.
None of surrounding buildings are listed.
No know or apparent feature of heritage of archaeological importance can be found
on the land.
No land infills took place.
The site has not been used for any industrial use or as a waste site.
No coal mining has been taken place on or in close proximity to the site.

8. Landscape and ecology
There is no knowledge of any protected species on or surrounding. However, a full
ecological survey would need to be necessary before any development could take
place.
The predominate part of this field is used for grassing. The areas surrounding the
streams to the North and East are covered with an over ground coppice. It is nonaccessible completely overgrown with a mix of small trees, bushes and hedgerows.

9. Possible constrains
Overhead power cables run through the field and alongside the road at the candidate
site. Contact has been made to move those cables to a different position in another
field owned by the same person.
No underground or phone lines would cause a problem for a possible development.
A road access needs to be formed either onto Gwendraeth Row, which is only a
single lane but has potential to be widened. Most of the surrounding land is in the
same ownership and can be incorporated.
Another option would be to access this land either via a parcel of land which had
been include in the last LDP or via a field which the owner has put forward for a
candidate site as well.

10. Settlement - Boundaries
This candidate site lies outside the settlement limits of Carmarthenshire as defined in
the local UDP -GR1. It is surrounded by residential development.
In the last LPDs (December 2014) a surrounding site in close proximity (just 2 fields
along) had been included; T3/6/h6.
Pontyberem is a small town which got all necessary amenities in close proximity.
 General hospital 9.5 miles
 Secondary school 5 miles
 Primary schools, less than ¼ mile
 Leisure centers, 9 miles
 Town center, ¼ mile
 Dentist & GP surgeries, ¼ mile

11. Transport links
The transport links to Carmarthen and Llanelli town are well established and
developed.
 train station is in Kidwelly, 8 miles away
 bus line is along Llannon Road with the next stop a few hundred meters down
the road.
 Carmarthen town 9 miles
 Llanelli town 8 miles
 A48 motorway link is 9 min away
 M4 is reached in 15 min

12. Conclusion
From the Carmarthenshire housing policy statement, it would appear that there is a
need for around 15,000 houses in the LDP period. It also appears that there are
currently only around 5,000 committed allocations. Especially in Pontyberem not a
lot of sites had been included in the last LDP.
Further investigation should be taken into the vegetation and animal life of the
overgrown area along the streams. However, this can be left as a biotope which
would not affect any development.
Our proposed development can easily be joined to the fields included in the LDP last
time and seen as one. This would give more scope for a more “round” development
behind the dwellings along Llannon Row.
Various options are available for a new road access onto the roads. Either an
adjoining access for both sites direct onto Llannon Road, a new access over another
field we have put forward again directly onto Llanon Road or an access onto
Gwendraeth Row which could be widen and upgrade,
We cannot see any obvious adverse effect on the developments in close proximity.
There would an increase in traffic given amount of new dwelling which could be
erected in this field. However, the main road as well as the village can cope with
new developments and their traffic.

It is worth emphasising at the outset that the site:
 will help sustain the community by providing dwellings in a location that
reinforces the traditional settlement pattern;
 is of modest size and is situated adjacent to a proposed residential allocation;
 would not result in the loss of any important amenity feature or represent an
unacceptable intrusion into the landscape;
 would not give rise to any recognised highway or utility service provision
objections
 would fully comply with established planning policies that direct development
to sustainable locations in terms of proximity to urban facilities and a public
transport route.
 it is closely related to the main public transport corridors;
 the site is conveniently located in terms of schools and other services and
facilities;
 the site is not constrained by any significant environmental considerations,
including ecological designations;
 it will be contained within existing defendable boundaries and will not give rise
to any harmful precedent for further residential development.
 It is felt that there is scope for additional small sites to be identified to receive
residential development, in order to provide further choice.
 The inclusion would not create any amenity, highway or utility service provision
difficulty.