Road is too dangerous for tourist development near Aberhafesp

In March 2021 , Mr Nisamdeen from Newtown applied for planning permission to build three holiday cabins at land known as Clear Wood Field just off the B4568 road.

A very similar application had been submitted in April 2020 and then withdrawn at the end of May 2020.

Last year, it had been said that the stretch of road close to bend is too dangerous for this proposal

Powys County Council’s (PCC) highways authority pointed out the “insufficient visibility” where access to the site had been planned.

In his report on the new application, Simon Crew of the county council's Highways Transport and Recylcling services said: “We note that the resubmitted application does not include any proposed improvements.”

“The proposed access is severely substandard in terms of visibility

“Perceived speeds in the area of the access are around 60mph.

“Therefore, the requisite visibility splays in accordance with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) is 215 metres in each direction.

“The visibility to the south east is restricted to 136 metres and the forward visibility is further constrained by the hedgerow to the southern side of the carriageway giving a maximum measurement of 74 metres.

“The available forward visibility is 66 per cent less than that required.”

Mr Crew added that in the last decade there had been five collisions within 180 metres south east of the access, and one fatal collision.

He pointed out that if full, the cabins would generate a further 18 movements daily, through a “severely substandard access.”

Agent, Geraint Jones of McCartney’s planning and survey, in a planning statement said; “The existing site has an access directly onto the B4568.

“The visibility is reasonable, however noted to be below full standards based on the current speed limit of the road.

“We note however the firm intentions of the local parish’s (community council) to seek the reduction in the road speed along the B4568 based on a series of accidents in the last years.

“In addition there are two large applications for differing developments to the west of the location, these will further support the reduction in speed limits in the area, ”

These applications are for a crematorium and a holiday park next to each other on land at Ael y Bryn near Caersws.

Mr Crew said no proposal to lower the speed limit has been put before the highways authority and the other planning applications have not gained consent.

But he said if the community council funds a speed restriction, the available forward visibility to the south east would still be significantly less than the required standard.

According to the statement, Mr Nisamdeen has owned the land for a “significant period of time” and had hoped to build houses there.

In the past he has tried to have the land included in the Local Development Plan as an allocated site for future development.