Brynhir Site Reduction

Less homes than originally planned are expected to be built at a controversial housing development, but a commitment to the majority being affordable is recommended.

In 2018, Pembrokeshire County Council, which already owned the 15-acre Brynhir site on the edge of Tenby, ‘bought’ the land for £4 million using its Housing Revenue Account.

Campaigners fought a two-year battle against the use of the land for housing, calling for protection for ‘Tenby’s last green space’ and fearing it would become a ‘concrete jungle’.

The county council was granted outline planning permission by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority for the development of 144 properties – including up to 102 affordable residential units, eight shared ownership residential units and 34 open market shared units – in 2020.

It is now expected only 125 houses out of the proposed 144 will be built.

Applicant Pembrokeshire County Council Housing, has now asked the national park to modify the Section 106 legal agreement ahead of an official updated application, relating to the number of affordable houses associated with the development.

The application, recommended for approval, will be considered at the national park’s Development Management Committee, meeting on July 19.

A report for members of the committee states: “The developer has advised that as the detailed design for the site has developed, the upper number of new homes identified in the permission is unlikely to be met,” adding: “Indications at this stage are that a scheme of approximately 125 homes in total is likely to be submitted as a reserved matters application.”

The report continues: “While the proposed housing mix would still be within the parameters described in the planning permission, officers of this authority have advised that any amendment to the S.106 should also include the requirement that the percentage of affordable housing does not drop below 71 per cent.”

The application also includes a similar clause for the shared ownership houses, at six per cent.

“This ensures that in the event the developer delivers a slightly smaller scheme, the percentage proportion of affordable homes would remain in line with the original development description.  A similar clause is also proposed in relation to shared ownership.”

Amendments are also sought by the developer to vary the approach to the delivery of play provision at the development, with the removal of a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), one of two Local Equipped Area for Play Spaces (LEAPS) instead providing a multi-use space for ball games.

With the reduction to 125 homes, the previously-agreed provision is considered an over-provision, the report says.