A planning application to site 41 residential dwellings on land in New Hedges has been given the thumbs up by members of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s planning committee.

The application, submitted by Millbay Homes Ltd, is for a housing scheme to be built on land to the rear of Cross Park.

The meeting, held at Pembroke Dock on Wednesday morning where members of PCNPA’s development management committee discussed the application, heard how the proposed site is a current housing allocation for New Hedges within the current Local Development Plan and had previously been granted outline consent for 31 dwellings.

The latest application, which will consist of 38 commercial properties and three affordable housing units, has seen St. Mary Out Liberty Community Council objecting due to the impact that the development would have on existing neighbouring properties.

The site is approximately 1.7 hectares and is located within New Hedges to the rear of Cross Park and set within two sloping fields from the top down to the rear of Hunters Park.

Several letters from neighbours have raised concerns over the possibility of the new development resulting in flooding of properties along Hunters Park due to drainage issues, although the applicants state that these concerns have been addressed after consulting Pembrokeshire County Council and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water.

The committee’s deputy chairman Clr. Michael Williams said that he was disappointed that the application’s Section 106 agreement did not provide for play park provision in the village.

“I hoped that the 106 agreement would look at some kind of community benefit which there is a complete lack of. There is a need in New Hedges for a revamped play area,” he commented.

Clr. Mike Evans told the meeting that what Millbay Homes was achieving south of the county was ‘amazing’.

“Millbay Homes which is solely owned by Pembrokeshire Housing are getting people in the area on the ladder with affordable housing. They run a very successful shared ownership scheme, and if they can achieve that here, then that is tremendous,” he said, before recommending approval for the development.

Eleven members of the committee voted to approve the development subject to conditions, with one objecting, with the application to be delegated to the chief executive/director of planning/team leader to grant permission.

The Section 106 legal agreements will be required within three months of the date of the meeting, and if not received within this time, officers will able to refuse the application on lack of affordable housing.