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Councillors bend planning rules

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county hallAN APPLICATION for an affordable house to be built on land south of Summerside in Upper Tancredston, Hayscastle, caused much debate among councillors.

It was recommended that the application be refused, but at the Planning and Rights of Way Committee meeting on Tuesday some councillors voted in favour of the plan.

The reason for refusing it was given in the agenda and said:

“The proposed development would conflict with the Council’s restraint strategy on new housing in the countryside. The proposal would create an unjustified visual intrusion into the countryside and represent an unsustainable form of development by reason of the absence of local services and facilities.”

Councillor Lyn Jenkins spoke in support of the application saying:

“It is well known that Pembrokeshire needs to find 4000 affordable homes and no objections have been raised to this application”.

Applicant Sarah Goddard added:

“Everything we have done looks toward the future. We understand that approving this application goes against your newly implemented policies but Pembrokeshire needs every affordable home it can get”.

The council’s Head of Planning, Hywel Jones, spoke to give clarification on the matter. He said:

“The LDP was set up to ensure patterns of development are sustainable. If we start departing from that we will incur the wrath of the Welsh Government. It’s the legal duty we have when we make these decisions. If we accept this it may well open the door for a flood of applications”.

Councillor Gwilym Price said:

“They should be supported in every way possible; I don’t for one second beleive that this could open the door for more applications”.

Councillor Brian Hall moved the recommendation for refusal and said:

“This does not comply with our policy; an affordable house has to come within an existing settlement”.

However, Councillor Jacob Williams said:

“This application is quite unique, there isn’t one objection. I appreciate that it’s not in our boundaries but I cannot see this as an intrusion into the countryside.

Councillor David Pugh said:

“I find this a very difficult application, but I have to support the recommendation for refusal. We all signed up for LDP earlier this year, we can’t keep departing from the rule book”.

Councillor Peter Morgan then moved that the application be approved, a motion which was seconded by Cllr Williams.

The director of development, Dr Steven Jones, asked:

“What are the material considerations that out-weigh the policies?”

Both councillors were asked to come up with reasons but they could not give a full answer.

Cllr Williams quoted from Planning Policy Wales, but Hywel Jones responded:

“The LDP trumps the PPW”.Cllr Morgan and Cllr Williams then withdrew their earlier proposal to accept the plans and allowed for the original recommendation to go to a vote. Six members voted for the application to be refused, but eight voted that it should be accepted.

They were again asked to give reasons why they had done so, but after a conclusion was not reached it was decided that this item would be on the agenda for the next meeting in January to allow time for those who voted for it to come up with their reasons.

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Police ask motorists to avoid A44 trunk road due to heavy snowfall

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DYFED-POWYS POLICE have issued an appeal to motorists to avoid a 25 mile section of the A44 trunk road between Aberystwyth and Llangurig due to it being impassable due to heavy snowfall.

In a warning issued at 4am on their social media accounts the police said: “Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journey.”

Meanwhile, last night The Nags Head in Lampeter uploaded pictures of the snowy scenes in the area, and were encouraging customers to come in and sit next to their ‘nice warm fire’.

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Egg and farm shop to open at award-winning west Wales farm

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A SCHEME for a self-serve egg and farm shop at an award-winning 32,000-chicken Ceredigion farm, to allow it to receive a UK Shared Prosperity fund grant, has been approved by county planners.

Ben Edkins, of Edkins Eggs, Coed Farm, Cilcennin sought permission to site a self-serve farm shop on an existing yard area at the site.

A supporting letter submitted through agent Morgan & Flynn Architectural Services described it as “a more advanced version of an egg stand, with honesty box, which has been a staple for people producing eggs for centuries”.

It added: “This method of selling eggs has already proven to be a hit with communities in Ceredigion, given the success of the already established egg dispenser located in Aberystwyth town centre.”

Family-owned Edkins Eggs, which supplies multiple businesses across the area with eggs, including Aberaeron’s Y Seler, Hive, Harbourmaster, and Costcutters, has been awarded a grant to cover the cost of part of the proposal, on the condition that planning approval is granted, the statement added.

“The grant, which is a UK shared prosperity fund for the Mid Wales region as part of the ‘Cynnal Y Cardi Fund’ provided by Ceredigion County Council was granted in December 2023.

“For this grant to be claimed, it is required that planning permission is granted, the construction is completed and also the egg dispensers are implemented by December 2024. This gives the applicants a 12-month window from the point of the grant awarded to completion of proposal.”
The building itself will include a solar panel array providing the power for the egg dispensing unit and lighting, and it is hoped to create one extra job at 227-acre Coed Farm, home to 32,000 chickens producing free range eggs, 90 beef cattle and 200 sheep.

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A green infrastructure statement by the agent added: “The creation of this building to house the self-serve farm shop to enhance the established family-owned business ‘Edkins Eggs’, which also has provisions to allow for other local companies producing items such as vegetables and honey to sell their products, will provide a facility for the local community to purchase locally produced goods directly from the supplier.

“This will not only provide an enhanced shopping experience in terms of being able to purchase directly from the farm, which could act as an educational benefit especially for children, but also provide the additional facility of a small-scale shop to the local area, whereas currently the community would either have to travel to the service centres of either Aberaeron or Felinfach.”

The application was conditionally approved under delegated powers.

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Entertainment

John Singer Sargent’s ‘Fashion & Swagger’ to light up the Torch

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IN an unparalleled celebration of one of the late 19th century’s most revered portrait artists, the Torch Theatre is set to host “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” on Tuesday, 16 April, at 7:30 pm. This innovative exhibition, brought to life by Exhibition on Screen, delves into the remarkable artistry of John Singer Sargent, whose portraits are celebrated for their intricate depiction of his subjects’ persona, attire, and the subtleties of their presentation.

The event promises an insightful exploration of Sargent’s influence on modern art, culture, and fashion, featuring interviews with a diverse group of curators, contemporary fashion icons, and style influencers. Filmed at prestigious venues like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Tate Britain in London, the exhibition unveils Sargent’s extraordinary ability to capture the essence of his subjects’ identities, social standings, and the complexities of gender through his art during a pivotal time of cultural transformation.

Phil Grabsky, one of the producers behind this compelling film, shared his enthusiasm for spotlighting Sargent’s genius, stating, “As filmmakers, both director David Bickerstaff and I have been thrilled to make this film about Sargent, someone I consider a truly astounding artist.” Grabsky further reflected on the curious case of Sargent’s fading recognition despite his once-celebrated status and affirmed Exhibition on Screen’s commitment to revitalizing interest in artists who deserve renewed attention.

The exhibition promises a fascinating juxtaposition of over 50 of Sargent’s paintings with authentic items of clothing and accessories donned by his subjects, offering audiences a unique passage into the artist’s creative realm. It underscores how Sargent’s subjects, often hailing from affluent backgrounds, entrusted him with their public images — a theme that resonates with the ongoing dialogue around the construction of identity in the public eye.

Tickets for “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” are available for £13. Those interested can secure their spots by visiting www.torchtheatre.co.uk or contacting the Box Office at 01646 695267.

For further details and imagery, or to arrange press inquiries, please reach out to Anwen Francis (Marketing, Press & Communications) via email at [email protected] or phone at 07854 772640.

ENDS

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