Include site within Plan

1. Introduction
We would like to include a field right in the center of Pontyberem in the new Local
Development Plan. It can be found east of Llannon Road and behind the line of
street development to the south of Coalbrock Road

2. Site Appraisal
This candidate site consists of a parcel of land of an irregular shape in the center of
Pontyberem just outside the settlement limits of the Unitary development plan, which
is used for grassing.
Llannon Road forms the western boundary of about 127m of this gently sloping field.
A narrow public run along the center. A mature hedgerow with a few medium trees
stretches along the eastern boundary leading into a now green corridor surround a
couple of streams. A single mature tree grows on its own at the northern part of the
land. The southern boundary forms another greenfield side, which the owner has put
forward as a candidate site for the new local development plan.

3. Access
There is an existing direct access of the main road, Llannnon Road. A new access
could be formed along the 127m main road frontage. There is good visibility at most
of the road frontage.
A second access can be found on the northern side onto an alley way leading to
Coalbrock Road. This alley runs parallel to the main road and serves as the access
lane for the main street development along Coalbrock Road.
A footpath can be found along the western and southern side of the land. The land
for the footpath to the south had been donated to the council of the land owner.

4. Flooding
The site lies well above the water level and in good distance from the 2 streams
running along the small valley. 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. See attached
survey..
The field is used only for agricultural use at present. The surrounding hedgerows can
be maintained as well as the exiting tree in the center of the field.

9. Possible constrains
An overhead power cables run through the field and alongside public foot path. The
path should be moved to suit a possible new development. With this the overhead
cable would be taken away.
No underground or phone lines would cause a problem for a possible development.

10. Settlement - Boundaries
This candidate site lies just outside the settlement limits of Carmarthenshire as
defined in the local UDP -GR1. However, the parcel of land is surrounded on two
side by residential and commercial 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, 100 yards
 Dentist & GP surgeries, 100 yards

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 as well as Coalbrock Road with the next stop
just hundred yards
 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.
The ecological survey of the site has been included. The wooded area surround by
the streams will be staying as a greenbelt anyway with a public footpath running
along the streams. The existing public footpath can be incorporated into the new
development instead of having a negative effect.
This field is right in the center of the village and would link part of the center with the
street development along Llannon Road, which can be found on both sides of the
road. The owner had previously donated a strip of this land to the council to build a
public footpath.
We cannot see any obvious adverse effect on the developments in close proximity.
There would be an increase in traffic given amount of new dwelling which could be
erected in this field. However, the main roads as well as the village can cope with
new developments plus their traffic. It would have a positive effect on the local
economy.

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.