Include site in Plan

Our client owns an agricultural holding which is set to the rear of residential properties and
fronting the southern flank of Nant-y-Glyn Road, on the western edge of Glanamman. The
land comprises low-grade, rough pasture which also borders detached and semi-detached
housing which are orientated to front that highway, and also lies directly individual housing
set off the opposite, northern flank of the road as it extends westwards from the village core.
Our client’s land interests at the western edge of Glanamman benefit from an edge-of
settlement location, immediately adjoining established housing, and set fronting Nant-Y-Glyn
Road, which is of sufficient width with footways and alignment. The site also lies within
walking distance of the settlement’s community facilities, including a medical surgery and
pharmacy, and public bus service. It can be regarded as inclusive within the settlement
form.
Our client therefore seeks inclusion of their land as an Alternative Site for a future
Residential development within the defined settlement limits of Glanamman within the
Replacement Local Development Plan.
The Site comprises a single rectangular-shaped field frontage, and generally level to gently
sloping grazing field set off the immediate southern flank of Nant-y-Glyn Road. The field is
naturally screened from Nant-y-Glyn Road by existing frontage residential properties to the
east, and virtue of a perimeter of mature trees and scrub about the far rear, southern field
perimeter and also western side of the field, where mature hedgerows and trees screen the
paddock from wider views. The Figure 1 below provides a Google Earth image of the site.
Figure 1 – Google Earth – April 2021 – of Representation Site
Figure 2 – Ordnance Survey Map extract of Representation Site
We have noted that the draft settlement limits have been placed along the rear garden
boundaries of existing residential properties, but which also includes an undeveloped
building plot off Nant-y-Glyn Road, and to the north-eastern edge of the field.
Our clients consider the LDP is “unsound” and should be changed, as it fails to meet the
tests for “soundness”, in that the Plan “is not appropriate”, and “will not deliver”, as defined
by the Planning Inspectorate’s LDP Examinations Procedural Guidance.
Specifically, our clients consider that the draft settlement limits for Glanamman / Garnant, as
defined under Policy SD1 “Settlement Limits”, should be amended to include the land as
edged in red upon the extract of the Proposals Map for Glanamman / Garnant, as
reproduced below in Figure 3. The land should be appropriately allocated for Housing
under Policy HOM1.
Figure 3 – Extract from Proposals Map with Representation site edged in red
This formal representation letter supplements the following documents which comprise a
complete submission to the Second Deposit Draft Consultation stage:
- Completed Deposit LDP Representation Form
- Completed Sustainability Appraisal form
- Location plan and Indicative Masterplan
Reasons for Allocation as Residential Development within
Settlement Limits
1.0 Position within Residential Setting at Nant-y-Glyn Road
1.1 The Council within the Settlement Framework of the LDP, have categorised
Glanamman as a Tier 2 “Local Service Centre”, as it benefits from a range of retail
and community facilities and has good public transport links to the nearby Principal
Service Centre of Ammanford. In such circumstances, the introduction of a modest
residential allocation to the edge of Glanamman certainly meets the spatial criteria for
locating new dwellings as part of the settlement form.
1.2 In terms of its physical location, the Representation Site is flanked on one side by
residential development, with the field enclosure extending over a field frontage of
some 95 metres, equivalent in form to the opposite, northern flank of this section of
highway, with frontage properties at Nant-y-Glyn Road orientated to face the
Representation Site.
1.3 Nant-y-Glyn Road itself continues from this point for only a few hundred metres to
join Heol Amman and the range of community facilities including public bus stops
(Services 145 & 146 to and from Ammanford). In the context, the site is directly
related to the settlement, with proposed occupants able to easily access
facilities and public transport. Consequently, the proposals would meet the
relevant initial criteria of the Policy SP16 where new residential development should
seek to be placed in sustainable locations, accessible on foot / cycle to the
settlement’s range of community and commercial facilities and services.
2.0 Representation Site Proposals
2.1 This submission is accompanied by an Indicative site layout plan which indicates an
indicative setting for a frontage of detached, two-storey dwellinghouse to be
orientated to front the public highway and thus mirror the established residential
properties over the opposite, northern flank of Nant-y-Glyn Road. Figure 4 below
provides a reproduction of that Plan which seeks to provide paired accesses onto
Nant-Y-Glyn, and dwellings set back to allow for adequate parking and turning
facilities. Traditional rear gardens of a minimum of 10 metres depth would be typically
arranged, with the rear perimeter of the site denoted with new hedgerow planting.
Figure 4 – Indicative Site Layout Proposals
2.2 The Representation proposals would ensure that massing of scale was sensitively
designed with buildings not rising to more than two storeys. The development of the
field frontage will not necessitate re-modelling of ground levels given that the field is
gently undulating towards its southern extremity and corresponds to the ground
levels of adjoining Nant-y-Glyn properties, as shown in the photographs below.
Photo 1 – view looking east along Nant-y-Glyn Road with field frontage to right
and established housing directly opposite
Photo 2 – view westwards along public highway with younger trees and scrub
evident along site frontage
Photo 3 – the site has limited ecological value being semi-improved grassland
with pockets of scrub to roadside
3.0 Sustainable Location
3.1 The Site at Nant-y-Glyn Road lies off a public highway which extends about a localauthority-built estate and onto Heol Amman. Public bus stops lie only some 300
metres distant from the site access at Maesybont and Tabernacle Road. Main public
bus services call at these bus stops, and in particular:
- Service 145 – Cwmamman to Ammanford, via Garnant and Glanamman
- Service 146 - Ammanford to Cwmamman via Garnant and Glanamman
3.2 The Site is within 10 minutes’ drive, or journey by public bus, to the Heart of Wales
rail service at Ammanford station.
Local Industrial Estates at Station Road and Raven Industrial Estate are a 10
minutes’ walk from the Site.
3.3 The Alternative Site lies within a 5 minutes’ drive distance of Ysgol-y-Beddol, which is
located near the junction of Hendre Road with Maes-y-Beddol.
Glanamman contains a post office, range of convenience stores, petrol filling station,
medical surgery, pharmacy, play facilities, community centre, public houses and
cafés.
Ysgol Dyffryn Aman and Coleg Sir Gar at Tir-y-Dail are located a 10-minute road
journey from Glanamman.
3.4 Ammanford town centre provides a whole range of large food supermarkets,
comparison shops, high street banks, public houses / cafes, offices, bus station,
industrial estates, library and leisure / recreation facilities.
Figure 5 below provides an indication of the proximity of the Alternative site to
Glanamman village centre at Cwmamman Road, and nearby Ammanford town
centre, bus and rail stations, and strategic road network.
The red star denotes the position of the Representation Site.
Figure 3 – proximity of Site to Glanamman village centre, Ammanford town
centre and major road network
4.0 INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS
4.1 Development of the Alternative Site for residential units would be served by mains
water, gas, public sewer and electricity connections, which either lie within the
adjoining stretch of Nant-y-Glyn Road, and adjoining Maes-y-Glyn estate.
4.2 The public highway itself is equipped with roadside gullies and drainage which aid to
discharge run-off from the extended carriageway. The Site comprises of former
agricultural pasture. There are no areas of water-logging evident, and therefore at
first inspection, it appears that the site benefits from good ground percolation of
rainwater and discharge to existing perimeter drainage ditches.
Soakaways would be the most sustainable means of disposing of surface water from
individual buildings. If required, attenuation measures can be deployed on site to
control surface water run-off during extreme storm events, which could also allow for
additional capacity, making allowances for climate change. The field enclosures are
served by a series of drainage ditches along the field’s boundaries, which eventually
combine and inter-connect discharging surface water to minor watercourses flowing
eventually to discharge into the River Aman. It is considered that as a result of on-
site features, there would be several options available to a future development of the
site in terms of surface water disposal.
4.3 We have also referred to The Coal Authority Map detailing “Development High Risk
Areas” and the location of historic mine entries. Figure 6 below is an extract from that
map, and which confirms that the site is free from any mining legacy.
Figure 6 – extract from Coal Authority interactive map with site hig
5.0 Housing Land Availability in Glanamman / Garnant
5.1 Despite being a Tier 2 Local Service Centre, Policy HOM1 indicates only two sites
allocated for housing in the whole of Glanamman and Garnant. An extract from that
HOM1 schedule is reproduced below.
Figure 7 – Housing Allocations at Glanamman and Garnant
5.2 The re-development at the former Garnant Primary School have already been
completed, whilst the site at Bishop Road has been advertised for sale for the last
few years without any apparent success in being sold. Therefore, for a settlement
with several thousand residents, there are no residential development opportunities.
The development of the Alternative Site for only five additional dwellings will not
place any burden whatsoever, or indeed compromise housing land supply.
CONCLUSION
This Representation to the Second Deposit Draft of the Revised LDP has sought to promote
the inclusion of an Alternative Housing allocation on land off Nant-y-Glyn Road in
Glanamman.
Our client has illustrated that their indicative proposals to develop a small site of frontage
dwellings to mirror that currently in existence off the northern, opposite flank of the road.
Accordingly, the development of the field frontage with five detached dwellinghouses will not
appear at odds to the prevailing spatial pattern of development in Garnant / Glanamman.
The locality has numerous examples of modern frontage development being completed at
edge of settlement locations, which in turn, advocates that the form of development
proposed for modest housing numbers is no different, resulting in it being respectful to the
character and setting of the locality.
We respectfully request that this Representation be given careful examination, and
consequently the defined settlement limits of this part of Garnant / Glanamman realigned to
include the Representation Site in the Proposals Map of the adopted Local Development Plan.