PLANNING permission for a plot at Leonardston Hall has been granted by Pembrokeshire County Council following a long deliberation over the application.

Outline planning permission for the property on Leonardston Road was granted at the full meeting of the council on Thursday, October 19 after a recommendation made by Cllr Paul Miller, cabinet member for the economy.

“I am the local member with respect to this application and I am someone that believes we should only prevent applications when there are legal reasons for doing so.

“On that basis I am happy to move the recommendation that this be approved subject to the conditions the planning committee gave at the time,” said Cllr Miller.

Cllr Miller added the application had not been objected to by any members of Llandstadwell Community Council.

However, Cllr Jamie Adams was concerned about the effect granting the application would have on the future of Pembrokeshire’s local development plan.

“Approval of the application before members could lead to other applications in the open countryside and could seriously undermine the LDP,” he said.

But he added he believed the current LDP policy did need to be changed: “We need a policy for Pembrokeshire.

“We need to respect the framework and policy we have, but I would like to see the policy changed and believe there are areas of the county that would benefit from having the policy changed.”

Cllr David Bryan responded by saying that every application had to be considered on its own merits, so granting Leonardston Hall permission should not affect future proposals that might breach the LDP.

The planning application originally came before the council’s planning committee in June this year, and a decision was deferred for a site visit which took place later the same month.

It was deferred again in July, but was recommended for approval with several conditions in August despite being in breach of the LDP.

The conditions included a contribution to affordable housing, that the proposed house be only a single story, and that final permission be decided by full council.