Field in Newtown earmarked for 135 homes

Hughes Architects is running a pre-planning consultation about plans to build the houses on land opposite Glanhafren Hall.

A new planning policy in Wales means for any major developments, there has to be consultation with the local community and adjacent owners or occupiers before a planning application is submitted to the council.

The pre-planning statement says the site is a "logical extension" to the town, despite it not being included in the Powys Local Development Plan.

"The site is located within the line of the Newtown bypass, currently under construction, which offers excellent opportunity for residential and employment development as a result of improved transportation links while providing a logical extension to the built environment of Newtown on its western fringe," it said.

"Access to the proposed development will be provided via a new access off the existing A489 and will cater for all forms of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Access to and from the development is likely to be greatly improved and much safer following completion of the Newton bypass and which is likely to see the imposition of new speed limits along the current section of the A489."

Newtown Town Council will discuss the plans at a meeting on Monday night, alongside a separate full planning application for 32 homes.

Evabuild is looking to build the housing estate on land adjacent to Oak Villas in Kerry Road.

The planning statement from Hughes Architects notes that Powys County Council's land study shows the county has only 2.2 years worth of deliverable housing land. The Welsh Government says all local planning authorities must have a five year land supply.

It also adds that the study expires in July 2016 which means the council effectively cannot prove it has any land supply.

It said: "The application is deliverable in terms of providing much-needed housing to the largest key settlement area of Powys. The council only has a 2.2 year land supply so the application should be given considerable weight in determining the application."

Last week, two applications for a combined total of 90 homes in Newtown were approved by Powys County Council’s Planning Committee.