AN EXTRA five years has been given to developers so that they can come up with detailed proposals for a major housing scheme in Brecon.
Back in July 2023, Mr and Mrs Fellowes lodged and application with Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority (BBNPA) to vary condition two of outline planning permission for 30 houses to be built at land north of Camden Crescent in Brecon which had been agreed in 2020.
The original application had been refused by BBNPA’s Planning committee in October 2019.
But this decision was overturned by Welsh Government planning inspectors and permission eventually granted in September 2020.
This establishes the principle of building housing on the land.
However, a big issue that has hampered the scheme is the implications of rules around phosphate discharges into the rivers and their impacts on SACs (Special Areas of Conservation) – the River Usk which flows through Brecon is one of these.
Under the original permission, the developers had until September 2023 to submit a reserved matters planning application which provides the detail for the scheme.
Planning agent Dylan Green of Asbri Planning Limited explained that the issues around the phosphate implications had seen firms wary of taking on the development and produce the details plans within the timescale.
When the new application was made In July 2023, Mr Green said: “We have been advising the client over the last couple of months, particularly around the phosphate implications on the River Wye SAC in Brecon.
“As Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water are currently undertaking upgrading the treatment works it is understood that the upgrading will allow for a connection from the development site into the public combined sewer.
“These works are scheduled to be completed by June 2024; therefore, we propose to submit a section 73 application to renew the previous outline permission for another five years.”
In April Dŵr Cymru said that they had “no objection” to the proposal as the work has now been completed.
Amy Marshall of Dŵr Cymru said: “The proposed development site is located in the catchment of a public sewerage system which drains to Brecon Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) and ultimately discharges to a river Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
“We have considered the impact of foul flows generated by the proposed development and concluded that flows can be accommodated within the immediate public sewerage system.”
Planning case officer Lisa Hughes said: “Any proposed development within the SAC catchments that might increase the amount of phosphate within the catchment could lead to additional damaging effects to the SAC features and therefore such proposals must be screened through a Habitat Regulation Assessment (HRA) to determine whether they are likely to have a significant effect on the SAC condition.
“The conclusion of the up-dated appropriate assessment is that adverse effects on the River Usk SAC – can only be avoided by the application of planning conditions.
“NRW have been consulted and responded confirming agreement with the conclusion of the up-dated assessment.”
She went on to agree the time extension, which gives a new deadline of May 28, 2031, for the detailed proposal to come forward.
