When planners showed a slide of a house front fence encroaching on highway land, a councillor urged today's (Thursday's) Planning committee to take urgent enforcement action to move it.

A planning official revealed the breach during consideration of two planning applications further along the road at Bryn Hill Farm, Providence Hill, Narberth, where Mr and Mrs Kent propose building a house and converting a barn for full residential use.

One of the applicants, the committee was told, is a council employee who regularly advises members and the application was held for full committee consideration for that reason.

Cllr Brian Hall, said enforcement action was called for a few years ago against people putting advertising A-frames on pavements.

He said the fact that the fence in question was encroaching on council highway land by over a metre with nothing was being done was "scandalous".

"What's left of our pavement is not wide enough for a pushchair or wheelchair which would have to go out on the road," he added.

Chairman, Cllr Tom Richards, said it was a valid point and a highways officer gave assurance that immediate action would be taken.

Cllr Malcolm Calver suggested refusal of the planning applications until the fence was removed, but he was told the applicants did not control someone else's land so no such condition could be imposed.

The applications received conditional consent on a majority vote, Cllr Calver voting against.