Ambitious plans to redevelop Burry Port have taken a further step forward today as the Welsh Government lifted stopper notices preventing approval of five elements of the proposals.
Earlier this month the county council’s planning committee unanimously voted that it was minded to approve six planning applications – for up to 230 homes at the former Grillo site, for infrastructure for that site, for a 134 unit housing development alongside the former Grillo site, for construction of a 330-place Welsh Medium Primary School off Burrows Terrace, for a commercial leisure development at Burry Port Harbour East, for employment space alongside Silver Terrace.
The council could not make a decision to actually grant permission following a Welsh Government intervention before the previous planning committee giving formal notice under Article 18 that it was not in a position to approve any of the six applications including the school.
The day after the planning meeting the Welsh Government removed the notice covering the plans for 230 homes on the Grillo site after deciding not to ‘call in’ the application for the Minister to decide, as the issues raised are of no more than local importance.
Today the Welsh Government decided not to call in the other five applications and left the decision on whether to approve to the council.
The applications will be taken to the next planning committee for a decision to release the planning permissions.
There has been a long history to the issue with Welsh Government maps showing the area, at one time, liable to flooding. The County Council challenged this but the maps could not be changed in time for the area to be included in the Local Development Plan.
The council’s executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “It’s excellent news. I would like to thank everyone concerned from the county council and Welsh Government in coming to this decision.
“We can now move forward. It’s very good news for Burry Port.”
Council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “This is the news we’ve been waiting for. It means the whole scheme can go ahead to deliver what I’ve been calling for – jobs, housing and a school.”
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