A MAJOR scheme to develop 20 affordable homes in a small rural village in Gwynedd which prompted local concerns over its size and need is to be considered by planners.
Cyngor Gwynedd has received an application for the development of pasture land north of Tai Newyddion at Penisarwaun.
The application is by Paul MacLennan (MacLennan Construction Limited) through the agent Neil Foxall (NJPlanning Ltd).
The developers say it will provide 20, 100% affordable units and will make “a positive contribution to the housing needs of the area…”
It’s a full application for the erection of 20 affordable dwellings, including access, parking and landscaping at the village which is four miles from Caernarfon and a mile from Llanrug.
The scheme has already attracted some dissenters, with a total of 24 owner occupier responses received according to a pre-application report.
It noted that the developers had met with locals to hear views which had included that the proposed 20 homes could “be too much for the village”.
Issues raised also included the impact of the development on the existing highway, access in and out of the village and a lack of pedestrian access.
The report cited that some residents had disagreed with the need for the homes.
It said some had felt that that unless the proposed residents of the homes were from Penisarwaun, or had a connection with the village, “they would not be supported”.
The local member Cllr Elwyn Jones had also given a formal objection, “specifically in relation to its scale”.
His summarised objections, cited in the report, included two main points; “no evidence that so many houses were required” and that “the site access comes out on to a very congested country road”.
Addressing these issues, the developers contested the view that there was “no evidence’ that so many houses were required, on the basis that the housing need data came “directly from the councillor’s council department”.
The applicants said they had taken into account locals’ views, and plans had changed to include footpaths and further parking.
The developers also noted that “a couple of positive response” in favour of the new accommodation” including bringing “new life and energy to the community” and “ensuring that families with ties to the area can remain within the Welsh-speaking community”.
The development would include one bedroom flats, two, two bedroom bungalows and three bedroom houses.
There were also plans for eight community parking spaces, accessed off Tai Brynhyfryd, eight community / visitor parking spaces, accessed off Tai Newyddion.
Footpath links would also be developed from Tai Brynhyfryd through the site and onto Tai Newyddion, and a new footpath along Tai Newyddion linking the site entrance to Bryn Tirion and further afield including the school.
