Testun llawn:
Allocation SeC16/h1 refers to a parcel of land of some 3.4 acres off Parc Pencrug Llandeilo and indicates it could accomodate some 27 residential units.The land originally formed part of the comprehesive development of the much larger Llandeilo Northern Residential Quarter allocated in Carmarthenshire County Councils Unitary Development Plan.This was supported by a formally adopted Comprehesive Planning and Development Brief as Supplementary Planning Guidance following an extensive consultation and engagement processwith stakeholders and the public in 2009 .This guidance sets out in detail how the area should be developed to benefit from a comprehesive approach to design ,density,land use, landscaping and open space, drainage ,highways and transport and related issues and remains a material and relevant consideration which predicates against any piecemeal development
The current allocation is a piecemeal approach which will frustrate and adversley affect the benefits of a comprehesive approach and indeed be contrary to many of the policies in the Councils evolving Development Plan .In the worse case scenario if any development is allocated in isolation it should , at a minimum , follow the principles set out in the brief and be strictly limited in terms of its scale and extent and prevent any further incremental developments until they conform to and are part of a comprehensive development delivering the wider benefits set out in the Development Brief.
In the absence of a comprehesive approach the current allocation would be inconsistent with and contrary to a number of policies in this Development Plan including Strategic Policies SP4 SP12 Sand SP17, and also policies PSD1 PSD2 and TRA2
SP4:A Sustainable Approach to Providing New Homes.
This policy states a sustainable approach should be adopted to the provision of new homes to create places “-_reflecting the character and context of that cluster or settlement –“ It is difficult to see how the piecemeal approach now proposed can deliver the benefites of a sustainable comprehesive approach and instead smacks of being opportunistic and short sighted.
SP12:Place Making and Sustainable Places -The policy clearly states that to facilitate sustainable development new development “—must acknowledge local distinctiveness and sense of place—“
The policy goes on to detail how developments should contribute to the creation of attractive attractive cohesive safe places and open spaces with the design layout and orientation of buldings and spaces creating an attractive legible healthy accessible and safe environment. The emphasis is on embracing placemaking as part of the plan making and decision making process and this is in my opinion best served by a comprehesive approach rather than the piecemeal and isolationist approach now proposed through the allocation of Sec16/h1 .The placemaking approach was central to the Llandeilo Northern Residential Quarter Development Brief.
The policy also highlights the key importance of contributing to and creating opportunities for Active Travel and the need for developments to be accessible and integrated allowing permeability and ease of movement which promotes theinterests of pedestrians cyclist and public transport ensuring ease of access for all. The comprehensive approach set out in the Development brief enabled and facilitated this approach by including a direct access to Rhosemean Street and providing direct pedestrian and cycling links to the two local primary schools and a variety of other local health and retail facilities .The current allocation does not include these links and whilst the local school and facilities are located within a few hundered yards of the site the only access will be via the steeply sloping Parc Pencrug and a long circuitious route of approxametly over a mile which will encourage car use and discourage active travel contray to the Plans policies.
SP17:Transport and Accessibility-This policy emphasies that sustainable development requires an integrated accessible ,reliable,safe efficent and sustainable transport network whi reduces the need to travel particularly by private motor car .The allocation in the development pland will be contrary to this requirement and will encourage private motor car use for the reasons set out above.It will not enable or encourage accessibilty to places of employment schools and other facilities and will not comply with active travel aspirations.
TRA2:Active Travel: The allocation will not enable the incorporation or delivery of active travel measures as set out in this policy and will encourage private motor car useage.
PSD1:Effective Design Solutions;Sustainabiltyand Placemaking-This policy seeks to ensure developments deliver quality design solutions appropriate to the specific site ,local area and nature of the development and does not result in significant adverse impacts to the amenity of adjacent land uses , properties, residentsor the community .This aspiration is contrary to incremenatl piecemeal developments and the policy should be strengthened to ensure all developments ,not just those of over 50homes as set out in PSD2 ,subject to masterplanning and placemaking objectives and should require extensive and meaningful engagement with existing residents and communities to achieve sustainable outcomes.
PSD2:Masterplanning Principles-Creaing Sustainable Neighberhoods -This policy relates to developments of over 50 homes and whilst the current allocaton is for some 27 homes if approved it would invariably lead to pressures for further incremental developments on adjacent land and the opportunity for appropriate masterplanning , as envisaged in the original Development brief , would be lost. If the allocation were approved it should preclude any further development off Parc Pencrug and require access from Rhosemaen Street .
