Affordable housing proposal could see 22 homes built near Swansea

An affordable housing development could be coming to a field in Pontlliw, near Swansea. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Housing association Pobl Group wants to build 22 houses and bungalows and nine flats east of Clordir Road, a couple of hundred metres from the village’s primary school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Some residents have raised concerns though about the scale of house-building already under way or proposed in a village with a population of around 1,600. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All the Pobl Group properties would be rental, according to planning documents submitted as part of a pre-planning consultation being carried out by Asbri Planning. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It said the plots for the two, three and four-bedroom houses were “generous” and that the scheme would have a children’s play area, new greenery – including native hedgerows – 51 parking spaces, and a shared-use path linking to Clordir Road. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report said: “The central village location, steps from the local primary school and countryside views offers the opportunity to deliver attractive, affordable homes in perpetuity to an area of Swansea with the highest need, while offering new public open spaces, and a sensitive and robust new edge to the village.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pontlliw is seven miles north-west of Swansea city centre and home to around 1,600 people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council planning officers had previously considered a pre-application enquiry for 52 affordable homes at the Clordir Road site and said it was unlikely to be approved, should a full planning application be submitted. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A revised pre-application enquiry was then submitted, and planning officers said this time the proposal looked to be acceptable, subject to concerns around layout, design and access being resolved. Financial contributions may also be required for education and road improvements. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The four-acre site is in open countryside, where building homes is generally prohibited. One exception is affordable housing to meet local needs, which Pobl will be expected to demonstrate. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Villagers, though, are concerned that the development would be occupied by people on Swansea Council’s housing waiting list rather than locals, according to Pontlliw and Tircoed Community Council chairwoman Barbara Mitchell. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said a public meeting had been held about Pobl’s proposal and that virtually every questionnaire that had been completed objected to it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The public can comment on Pob’s proposal via Asbri Planning by June 20. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs Mitchell said work on two new housing estates was already under way in Pontlliw, with a third proposed and now also Pobl’s. She said if all of them went there would be more than 230 additional properties. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“People say we haven’t got enough infrastructure and that the schools are over-capacity in all directions,” she said. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​