NEW affordable housing may be built in Newport following a discussion of plans by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park authority.

Plans for the former Newport Pottery site include four open-market homes, as well eight affordable homes designed to encourage young people to live locally.

The national park’s development management committee met on Wednesday, October 8 and voted to delegate a decision on the plans to officers.

The officers are now awaiting the completion of a Section 106 agreement, a legal agreement on the amount of affordable homes provided at the site which is due within three months, and will have the power to decide the future of the development at the end of this time limit.

“I would like to put on record that Newport town council should be commended for getting this scheme off the ground,” said committee member Cllr Mike Evans.

Cllr Mike James also commended the town council, saying: “Newport is desperate for affordable housing and I would like to commend them for getting this project started.”

The original pottery building will be retained on the site and converted, a former warehouse will be partially demolished and repurposed, and a former depot building on the site will be demolished.

A report to the committee states that the new houses are not considered to be detrimental to nearby listed buildings.