Planning granted for 25 homes near Welshpool due to lack of housing supply

The site is located near the A458 trunk road east of All Saints Church on land adjacent to The Fron, Middletown near Welshpool.

EM and AR Paddock have been successful in their application, which will provide 14 two and three bedroom semi-detached houses, seven, three to four bedroom detached homes, and four, four to five bedroom detached homes.

Within the planning report discussed by the Powys County Council planning committee on Thursday there were a number of objections to the plan.

Trewern Community Council said it was concerned about access to the site and the stretch of road, but did state it recognises the benefit of providing car parking for the church, which is included in the development.

Powys County Council's countryside services is against plans as plots 22 and 23 "restrict byway five".

Developers were told they would have to pay up to £2,000 for a public path order, and it being granted was not assured.

Within the application it says the area is 515m south of and is overlooked by scheduled monument Cefn y Castell.

This monument is located on the summit of Middletown Hill and comprises the remains of a hill fort, which probably dates to the Iron Age period.

Local member county councillor Dawn Bailey raised this concern among others.

She said the site is outside the local settlement boundary and does not align with planning policy and that "sufficient allocation for future growth within Middletown has been identified in the Powys Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and the emerging Powys Local Development Plan.

"This therefore gives rise to concern over the possible cumulative impact of over development within a community that has limited facilities."

She was also concerned about the impact on a Grade II-listed house, the church and Cefn Y Castell monument.

Due to a lack of housing supply in the county, the application was passed by the committee with conditions.

Planning officer Kate Bowen said in the report: "Whilst there would be an impact upon the setting of a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a historic asset (All Saints church) recorded within the Historic Environment Records and the proposed development is a departure from the development plan, it is considered that the council’s current lack of housing supply weighs in favour of approving the proposed development in a sustainable location.

"Therefore subject to the receipt of final responses from Welsh Government Transport and the Education Department, it is recommended that the application is approved subject to the conditions set out."