Mum's bid for home (From Western Telegraph)

Mum's bid for home

A Welsh-speaking single mother has seen her dream of living near her family move a step closer.

Sue Thomas insists she fits the National Park's controversial 'homes for locals' rule (policy 47).

"I and my children represent the essence of what policy 47 was developed for. If we do not fit the policy, who on earth does?" she asked Park committee members.

Sue, who currently lives in a caravan with her two children, won the sympathy of National Park members on Wednesday. She persuaded them to visit her home in Llandre, just outside Mynachlogddu, in the New Year.

Her caravan will be removed in March 2004, leaving Sue, her 11-year-old daughter, Meg, and son, Celt, aged nine, homeless.

Sue, aged 42, says she has been priced out of the market in an area where an unconverted barn recently sold for £80,000. Instead, she wants to build a home from scratch close to her family.

She spoke directly to members of the Park's development control committee at their meeting.

As well as working for Welsh Water, Sue, whose family has lived in Mynachlogddu for five generations, keeps and breaks horses. She has six on her fields at the moment, along with numerous dogs and chickens. Having been a single mother for two years, she depends on the support of her mother, father, brother, sister and uncle, who all live in the area.

Head of development control, Cathy Milner, agreed Sue met the criteria set out in policy 47. But she added : "The policy only gets triggered if the site is suitable for development."

National Park officers argue the site is not within a settlement area and there is no 'agricultural justification' for Sue to live there.

However, Councillor Stephen Watkins said the area 'is and has always been, for hundreds of years, part of greater Mynachlogddu; if you could call it that'.

He said: "This authority should be putting its money where its mouth is. Policy 47 was created for this situation."

The majority of the committee spoke in favour of Sue's application, agreeing North Pembrokeshire was characterised by dwellings being scattered more widely than in the south.

Sue is hopeful the site visit on January 6th will convince planners to let her build her dream home. She said: "I've asked everyone nearby and there are no objections. Most people think it will enhance the area."