Wedoany.com Report on Mar 10th, Persimmon Homes' development of 152 homes in Ystradgynlais, West Glamorgan, will be considered at the Powys County Council planning committee meeting on March 12, with officers recommending approval. The site is located west of the former Penrhos school on Brecon Road, and this application is an expansion of a previously approved 42-home scheme.
The residential development was initially submitted in January 2023, originally proposing 134 homes, later expanded to 152, including a mix of one-to-four-bedroom units, with 18 being one-bedroom apartments. According to the plans, over 50% of the development area will be designated as green space, and affordable housing will be included.
At a planning meeting last December, councillors were informed that the proposal had received significant opposition, primarily due to concerns about the town's lack of infrastructure to accommodate new residents. The application was subsequently deferred to allow the local education department to assess whether schools could accommodate additional school-aged children.
Forecasts indicate that the housing development would generate 27 primary school pupils and 27 secondary school pupils. Powys County Council stated that Ysgol Maes-y-Dderwen secondary school has 199 spare places, and the four primary schools in the town collectively have 46 vacancies. Welsh-speaking students are expected to attend Ysgol Bro Dur school in Ystalyfera across the county border, which has 59 vacancies and sufficient capacity.
In her report, senior planning officer Catherine James said: "The assessment indicates that there is sufficient capacity within primary, secondary, and the nearest cross-border schools in the area to accommodate the projected pupil numbers arising from this housing development. The available capacity can also absorb additional pupils from further small-scale housing provision in the area, and currently, no financial contribution for new education facilities is required."
James will inform councillors that consultation responses and objections have been "carefully considered" and all relevant planning matters have been taken into account. She stated: "While acknowledging third-party objections, the site is a housing allocation within the adopted Powys Local Development Plan. The proposed residential development will make a significant contribution towards the Local Development Plan housing targets. In the planning balance, it is considered that there are no overriding objections, and mitigation measures can be applied. Therefore, approval is recommended."
