Include site within the Plan

1. Introduction
We would like to include a field in the center of Pontyberem in the new Local
Development Plan. This parcel of land is linked to a field in the last LDP, marked as
T3/6/h5, which has been put in for outline planning.

2. Site Appraisal
This candidate site consists of a grassed parcel of land of an irregular shape just
South of the center of Pontyberem, which lies just outside the settlement limits of the
Unitary development plan.
A green corridor consisting of shrubs, trees, a couple of streams and public footpath
forms the western boundary.
A mature hedgerow with a few small to medium size trees forms the southern and
western boundary. To the north is the village center with commercial and residential
development. More fields under the same ownership are stretching towards the
south, east and north.
The field is very gently sloping. A grassed public footpath is running a long the side
linking Ashgrove to the green corridor.

3. Access
An existing access can be found past the commercial development of Coalbrock
Road, which can be utilized for a new development.
In addition, a new access onto Ashgrove can be formed via the field to the north,
T3/6/h5. This should be incorporated into this development with a joining new access
road.

4. Flooding
The site lies well above the water level and in good distance from the 2 streams
running along the small valley to the West. 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 Ashgrove. 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 field is used only for agricultural use at present. The surrounding hedgerows to
the west should be maintained.

9. Possible constrains
An overhead power cable runs through the field and determinates at the end to serve
a commercial yard. A permission should be obtained to move the cable to a more
favorable position for a future development.
The existing footpath can easily be incorporated into the new development.
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, about ½ mile
 Leisure centers, 9 miles
 Town center, 200 yards
 Dentist & GP surgeries, 200 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.
Further investigation should be taken into the vegetation and animal life close to the
green corridor to the West. However, this wooded area would be maintained 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.
A tree survey should be done and the healthy medium size trees even the smaller
ones could be protected easily be incorporated into a new development and could
form a boundary to the southern fields.
This field would be continuous development to the T3/6/h5 and could be developed
as one.
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.

An inclusion of this site at this location would realignment of the LDP’s development limits
to a more logical physical edge to the settlement.
In addition, the inclusion of this site will provide for an improved access to development
site GA3/h51, which is currently facing technical difficulties in bringing an access
alongside Bron-Yr-Ynn housing estate.
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.