Llandrinio housing estate to go ahead after tweaks

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Planning permission tweaks for a Powys County Council affordable housing development in Llandrinio have been agreed by councillors.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee yesterday (Wednesday), an application came before councillors asking for changes to be agreed for conditions placed on planning permission to develop 48 homes on land at Trawscoed and Orchard Croft.

The council were given planning permission back in April 2022 for 48 homes to be built either side of the B4393 road which goes through the village.

The new application had been submitted by the council’s Affordable Housing Team and was specifically for the Trawscoed housing estate part of the scheme where 24 affordable homes are expected to be built.

The site is roughly opposite the fuel service station in the village.

Planning Officer, Lorraine Jenkin, explained that two conditions attached to the permission had been requested for alteration.

The first one – condition two had said that the council would need to build house types designed to meet the Welsh Government Development Quality Requirements.

Ms Jenkin said: “The design quality requirements for affordable housing have improved and changed in the interim period between consent and starting to build.

“This application reflects the need to upgrade some of the houses slightly, they are relatively modest changes, but they would require planning permission.

“For the majority it’s just providing a little more storage area in the dwellings, but also the wheelchair accessible (plot) is going from three bedroom to four for a specific family who have a disabled occupant, and so they’re seeking to change the plan list.”

Ms Jenkin then moved on to explain the second proposed change which was for condition 32.

This condition meant that the council needed to submit and have approved in writing, a scheme which explains the details of the affordable home aspect of the development before any building work starts.

Ms Jenkin said: “An affordable housing scheme has now come in with this application and has been agreed by our Affordable Housing Officers so that will now be a compliance condition.”

She recommended that councillors approve the proposal.

Cllr Elwyn Vaughan (Plaid Cymru – Glantwymyn) said: “In reality these changes are fairly minor and in the greater scheme of things they are an enhancement. I would be happy to recommend approval.”

Cllr Gareth Pugh (Conservative – Dolforwyn) seconded the motion and said that he could “remember” the original application coming before the committee a “few years ago”.

Cllr Edwin Roderick (Powys Independents -Maescar and Llywel) asked if there were any flooding issues at the site.

The River Severn, which flows near the village, is liable to burst its banks during periods of heavy rain, causing flooding in the area.

Ms Jenkin said: “There is an element of flood zone but it’s minor and NRW (Natural Resources Wales) have come back and said that it will be resolved in the SuDS (sustainable drainage) arrangement, so they didn’t have any concerns.”

The committee then went to the vote and unanimously agreed the changes.