A council scheme to build 24 affordable homes for the elderly at the site of the former Motor World building in Milford Haven is expected to be backed by county planners next week despite a Welsh Government stop on permission awaiting the size of bin lorries before it can be removed.
W B Griffiths & Sons Ltd, on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council, in an application before the council’s planning committee on November 5, is seeking approval for the construction of a new residential redevelopment of 24 affordable apartments for older people at 70A-80A Charles Street.
It is proposed to build 21 one-bed apartments and three two-bed apartments, along with associated works.
The former Motor World site was cleared in 2018 to enable redevelopment, with planning permission granted on the site for the development of 15 affordable apartments for over-55s in 2020.
Back in 2021, site contractors WRW construction, which had a number of projects ongoing in Pembrokeshire, was put into administration by its directors under what was described as, ‘significant financial stress’.
The latest application, submitted through agent DPP Planning, follows a public consultation earlier this year.
DPP Planning, in its consultation statement for the latest application, has said: “The council has now instructed W B Griffiths, a Pembrokeshire-based construction company, to develop the site subject to a number of changes.
“The main change is to increase the number of apartments on site to 24 to make best use of the site by increasing the availability of affordable homes for over-55s.”
Two representations have been received in relation to the proposal, with Milford Hubberston county councillor Viv Stoddart has advised that she has raising concerns about insufficient parking space for residents and their carers, which she says have not been addressed by the Pre-Application Consultation.
The report says that Welsh Government has issued a Holding Direction to the effect that planning
A second representation raises an objection that full length windows at the end of corridors on each floor would cause overlooking due to proximity to the boundaries.
It is suggested this issue could be addressed by introducing opaque glazing to these windows.
The application is recommended for conditional approval but is subject to a Welsh Government Holding Direction where planning permission cannot be granted until a vehicle Swept Path Analysis has been submitted demonstrating that a turning area can be provided within the site for the largest type of vehicle that would serve the site.
The report says there have been some delays in getting this, latterly due to the agent awaiting information on the dimensions of the council’s refuse vehicles, adding provision of the turning area may require a reduction in the area of green space proposed to retain the 10 car parking spaces.
Delegated authority is requested for the Head of Planning to approve the application following resolution of this issue.
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