A well-attended and interesting public participation session took pace immediately before the meeting, at which planning issues, speeding motorists and feedback from the recent Rural Futures events in Kilgetty were raised.
The latest news and other main items discussed were:
• Councillors from KBCC and Amroth Community Council will meet shortly to discuss the proposed major development at Heritage Park, Stepaside.
• The recent ‘My Square Mile’ events held under the Rural Futures Initiative in Kilgetty and Begelly were attended by 250 local residents and a number of suggestions and offers from local people will now be taken forward. These include reviving the village carnival; formation of a new local history group and the development of a historical mural project with Stepaside School. A design and evaluation group will take forward these and other ideas that emerged from the events.
• Dyfed-Powys Police surgeries continue to be held in the Community Centre, Kilgetty, on the second Thursday of each month between 10 am and 12 noon. Some KBCC councillors would also attend these surgeries to answer any questions and to listen to matters of concern from local residents.
• The provision of some seating and picnic benches in Miners’ Field, Kilgetty, would be discussed by KBCC at its March meeting.
• Flushing of drains in Kilgetty and Begelly had now been undertaken by Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) following recent flooding.
• KBCC agreed to renew its membership of One Voice Wales for 2019/20.
• All The Seasons Gardening Service has been retained as KBCC’s grass cutting contractor for 2019.
• The provision of festive lighting in Kilgetty next Christmas would be discussed by KBCC at its March meeting.
• Men’s Shed in Kilgetty will continue to be based at the office unit alongside the community centre during 2019.
• KBCC is continuing to discuss with suppliers the provision of new play equipment at Kilgetty and Begelly play areas.
• Local residents and organisations are encouraged to send information on special events in the area to the clerk, who will then consider for inclusion on the KBCC website.
Begelly-Kilgetty Community Association (BKCA)
• Future events are being discussed with details to follow soon.
• Further improvements to the heating system at the community centre are being considered following feedback from users.
• Maintenance work to the gutters and windows at the community centre is being planned.
• Discussions on the next major investment at the community centre are underway.
Planning
Members considered the following planning applications and after discussion made the following recommendations to Pembrokeshire County Council:
Reserved matters application in relation to access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale, following outline approval (15/1222/PA) at land west of Stepaside School, Carmarthen Road, Kilgetty. Council received a number of comments from the many local residents who had attended the public participation session, ahead of the meeting. Their comments were considered by councillors when discussing this application. Council expressed concern about access, by construction and plant traffic, through St. Mary’s Place, Kilgetty, during the building phase of this project. Some residents reported that they had been approached by the developer asking them to move their vehicles from St. Mary’s Place during construction, to allow for traffic to access the site. Although KBCC has not verified this report, it remained concerned over the safety of residents if this occurred. In addition, KBCC expressed concern over such traffic using the shared access road through Stepaside School; children safeguarding issues would be paramount here. Council also noted that the Coal Authority had reported a low-risk for this development. However, local knowledge suggests that there is a dangerous bell-pit on the site. Councillors reported that there had been an active mine on the site prior to construction of Stepaside School some 20 years or so ago. Council also expressed concern about water run-off from the site and the effects this would have locally. In addition, it was noted that some existing residents of St. Mary’s Place would lose much natural light after construction of housing. Councillors considered that these residents had an entitlement under the appropriate Right to Light Prescription 1832 Act to have uninterrupted light, as they have had over the last 20 years and more. It was also reported to KBCC that no PCC planning notices about this application had been displayed near to or in Stepaside School. After detailed consideration of the application, council recommended refusal.
Alteration and extension of two semi-detached bungalows to create two semi-detached houses at 1 & 2 Shipping Cottages, A478 Jct C3065 to Begelly Cross, Begelly. Council recommended approval.
Change of use from D1 (veterinary surgery) to A1 (hairdressers/beauty salon) at Streamline House, Carmarthen Road, Kilgetty. Council recommended approval.
Replacement dwelling at Buttles Cottage, New Road, Begelly. Council asked that the various recommended conditions set out in the accompanying reports (bat survey, tree report, Dwr Cymru) be included in any approval. After discussion, council recommended approval.
Erection of an agricultural building for free range egg production with associated feed bins, hard standings and access track at Langdon Farm, Begelly. Council recommended approval.
Tree surgery at plot adjacent to Cottage, Parsonage Lane, Begelly. Council noted that tree surgery was to ash and sycamore trees. Council recommended approval.
County Councillor David Pugh’s Report
County Clr Pugh provided the following report:
• Concern had been expressed recently by local residents, including at the Rural Futures events, about speeding motorists in Ryelands Lane, Kilgetty. Both PCC and KBCC were in discussion about this issue and KBCC had agreed to consider the possibility of funding some traffic calming measures, to try and deter speeding motorists, particularly in the narrow parts of Ryelands Lane.
• Feedback from a recent meeting with Hywel Dda University Health Board had highlighted problems at Tenby GP surgery; the future proposal for a new hospital in the St. Clears area; downgrading of some services at Withybush Hospital and that no changes were planned for Tenby Cottage Hospital.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of KBCC is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 14, at Kilgetty-Begelly Community Centre, commencing at 7 pm. A 15-minute public participation session is always scheduled prior to the start of full council meetings.
Copies of the approved minutes of KBCC meetings can be viewed by contacting the clerk, Ian Morris, on 01834 450512. Minutes of previous meetings can be accessed via the website.
Website address: www.pembstcc.co.uk Email: [email protected]