Outline plans for 54 homes in Carmarthenshire’s Gwendraeth Valley have been approved.

The two, three and four-bedroom houses are earmarked for land east of Llannon Road, Pontyberem, which is bordered by some properties to the west and north.

The council’s planning committee heard at a meeting on Tuesday, December 17, that a fifth of the 54 homes would need to be affordable and the developer would need to contribute £194,002 for play and open space facilities and school upgrades.

Planning officer John Thomas said the land in question was allocated for housing under the council’s development plan and the site, apart from its mature hedgerows, had “limited ecological value”.

He added there was a garage and taxi business within the site.

“This would be redeveloped as part of the application,” he said.

There were 12 objections to the application, which was submitted to the council by a Pontyberem resident via a planning agent.

Objectors were concerned about an increase of traffic on Llannon Road, drainage and surface water flooding, and a potential loss of light and privacy for four existing bungalows, among other things.

Mr Thomas said council highways officers and Welsh Water had not objected, and that a surface water drainage scheme would have to be submitted by the developer and agreed by the council in due course.

No work could start onsite before a detailed planning application was approved by the council and a legal agreement signed regarding the affordable housing and financial contributions.

The committee didn’t discuss the outline application before voting in favour of the planning department’s recommendation of approval, subject to conditions.

Three councillors abstained but no committee member voted against the proposal.