Scale of 35-home development causes concern
AFFORDABLE housing is part of a 35-home development planned for a Carmarthenshire village, but the scale of the proposal is causing some concern.
Life Property Group Ltd wants to build 29 open market and six affordable houses in Nantgaredig, in the Towy Valley.
The land, off Station Road, is currently used for grazing.
A design and access statement submitted to Carmarthenshire Council on behalf of Life Property Group said all the semidetached and detached houses would have gardens, and that there would also be open spaces and new greenery.
The open market houses would be three, four or five-bedrooms, while the affordable ones would be two or threebeds.
A consultation with villagers has taken place, resulting in 13 responses which raised concerns about the scale of the development, increased traffic, the capacity of the local school and doctors’ surgery to cope, and flood risk.
One letter from a resident said: “Nantgaredig is a small village and the idea of adding 35 new houses to the street would not only spoil the character of the village but also put a strain on its amenities.”
Another letter felt 35 new houses in the village, which has a population of around 530, “appears excessive and unreasonable”.
A first-time buyer who wanted to stay in the area said it was a pity that twobedroom open market homes were not included in the scheme.
Another person said: “The development of large three, four and five-bedroom houses is likely to price the local residents out of the market and attract commuters/professionals wanting easy access to the M4 and (who) may not contribute to the life of the community.”
Another person claimed that traffic on Station Road would become “unmanageable”.
Welsh heritage body Cadw has asked for an impact assessment and archaeological evaluation due to the proximity of two scheduled monuments.
Life Property Group has commissioned a transport study, which said the impact of the 35 houses on the surrounding roads would be “negligible”.
The design and access statement said the development would make “a much-needed contribution to the local housing stock” and would not negatively impact the landscape.