29 homes plan in jeopardy as planners reject drain scheme

A proposal to build 29 homes in Caersws on land which is prone to flooding has received a blow, as a sustainable drainage application, which is essential for the scheme, has been rejected.

In February last year, plans by Towyn Marine Properties Ltd on behalf of the landowners Alwyn and Geraint Jarman for land at Pen-y-Borfa on the outskirts of Caersws were approved by Powys councillors on the council’s planning committee.

The development is for two four-bedroom detached homes, 11 three-bedroom detached homes, 10 three-bedroom semi-detached homes and six three-bedroom terraced houses.

Three of the homes would be “affordable”.

The actual sign-off for the permission had to wait until April 2025 after Welsh Government planning inspectors decided not to call in the application and take over the process.

This followed confirmation from the environment body Natural Resources Wales (NRW) that it was satisfied with the conditions that will be placed on the development, which allowed it to go ahead.

At the time, the decision had dashed the hopes of local opponents to the scheme, who believe it will cause flooding in the village.

This is because parts of the site do suffer from flooding during periods of heavy rain.

This is due to a stream known as Manthrig Brook running at the back of the north east corner of the site before going on to flow through the village and into the River Severn.

This had seen a bigger proposal for the site shelved.

But having received planning permission, the proposal still needed a sustainable drainage scheme to be approved before building work can start.

Earlier this year, the council’s Sustainable Drainage Approval Body (SAB) received an application for the site.

A Powys council spokesman said: “The council can confirm that a Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) application associated with the Pen-y-Borfa development in Caersws has been refused.

“SuDS applications are assessed by the council in its role as the Sustainable Drainage Approval Body (SAB).

“These assessments are technical in nature and are separate from the planning process.

“Decisions are made against Welsh Government’s statutory national standards for sustainable drainage systems, which set out requirements for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of surface water drainage.

“As with other technical approvals, a refusal does not prevent an application from being revised and resubmitted if the applicant is able to address the matters identified through the assessment process.”

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service