Allocate and protect the land for recreation purposes under Policy PSD7.

For ease of reference, I have used the reference numbers from the first deposit as well as road names to identify areas that I am commenting on.
I fully support protecting of green space in Tycroes ward. All green spaces within the ward should be protected from development. Access to use these areas for recreational purposes is essential to the community to maintain and improve both physical and mental health well being. Nature is also a vital part of education.
In Tycroes -
Land including the woodland between Heol Brown and Hafod Road, the football field on Heol Brown as well as the land between Number 4 and 6 Heol Brown and to the right of number 8 Heol Brown as you are looking at it from Heol Brown and opposite the entrance to Tirprys (a public footpath runs through it) should be protected from development.
The woodland by Heol Brown park is home to a variety of wildlife e.g. foxes and badgers. Sightings also include a rare butterfly and owls who nest there. Residents state that this land was a gift from the Coal Board to the village of Tycroes to be used for recreational purposes. Residents feel very strongly that this should remain as an area for recreational activities. Access to this area would be from Hafod Road Tycroes which is a narrow lane.
Another consideration is that permission to develop this land would need to be sought from the Coal Board.
Land between Heol Ddu and Teglan Park – Access to this land is off a corner on Heol Ddu and also from Teglan Park. The area is used by children and should also be protected from development. I believe that there is a covenant in place restricting the use of the area to recreational purposes only.

There is a further large area of green open land between Tycroes, Penybank and Pantyffynon. This area has footpaths that are used on a regular basis. Any building on this land would be detrimental to the rural feel of the area currently enjoyed by the residents.
Land known as Cwmfferws Park between Cwmfferws Road and Hendre Road, bordering on to Ammanford Road. This should also be protected from development.

Footpaths within the ward are well used but the council should improve access and make every effort to maintain them. Tycroes has a walking group that meet at least twice a week and use these footpaths.
PrC3/h32
This area of land, currently a greenfield site, is outside the development limits and is not in the current LDP. The land referenced as PrC3/h32 is not one area of land but two separate areas. One half (the land behind Penygarn Road leading to the Rugby Club) already had planning permission for 37 houses which was granted in December 2019. The dwellings have now been built and occupied. This planning permission was approved with the reason given that the need for social housing allowed for an exemption from the County Council’s own policy. This was an exception, not the rule and should not be used to set a precedent to have more development on the other half of the land reference PrC3/h32 behind Tycroes Road (as far as number 69 Tycroes Road and Numbers 5 – 7 in Ffordd Y Deri.
Flooding issues - There is already known flooding issues within the ward. Further development could make matters worse.
Access to the dwellings – Access to the 37 dwellings built on one half of PrC3/h32 is through Ffordd Y Deri off Tycroes Road. Ffordd Y Deri is also a narrow road unsuitable for further traffic. The volume of traffic coming out on to Tycroes Road has increased. It is likely that most households would have two vehicles which will result in a sustained volume of traffic using the road throughout the day.
Ecology and Environment – Bats and Badgers have been sighted here. Bats are a protected species and any disturbance to their natural habitat would be catastrophic for the species. Valuable trees would be at risk should there be any further development.
Education
Tycroes Primary School is full to capacity. Provision of education to extra children is a real concern with some years currently running to full capacity and children already being refused admission.
In conclusion, the amount of houses that have been built is more than sufficient to meet local needs.
Land off Heol Ddu – Previously a factory site and others
This is an area of land situated off an unclassified road known as Heol Ddu. The land is close to Teglan Park a large housing estate leading off from Penygarn Road.
Although the land was used for factories, the land has planning permission for residential properties. Consideration should be given to the type of light industry that would be acceptable there due to the close proximity to Teglan Park.
Access – Heol Ddu is an unclassified road accessed from the A483. The road is not suitable for commercial traffic. The road would need to be improved and SWTRA consulted.
Noise disturbance to nearby dwelling – Close proximity to Teglan Park will in no doubt have an impact on residents quality of life due to noise as well as dust.
Education
Tycroes Primary School is full to capacity. There is room for a small extension, however any further building would impede on the school play areas. Provision of education to extra children is a real concern.
Other general ward observations

Agricultural land - The land in the ward currently used for agriculture should remain as it is. This enhances the rural feel of the ward and provides employment to local residents.

Business and retail parks - The ward is adequately served by a business park to the north of the ward and shops in the centre of Tycroes.

Planning - There is already planning permission for approximately 250 residential dwellings within the ward. This is more than adequate for current and future needs. Any further provision to this number could mean empty properties.
In general residents in the ward feel very strongly that there is that there is no need for further development in the ward. The residents also feel strongly that green field sites should be kept as they are.
Llanedi – The Village Green in front of Y Garreg Llwyd and opposite Tafarn Y Deri.
I request that this area is protected from development. This area is used regularly and has been for many years by children playing and various village groups to hold events such as the one held during the jubilee in 2022.