AN APPLICATION to build 23 affordable homes at Station Road, near Manorbier, passed by just two votes at last Thursday's (June 7) meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's Development Management Committee.

The application, by Pembrokeshire Housing Association, for a mixture of three and two bedroomed bungalows; two and three bedroomed houses and eight one bedroomed flats, had been before planning three times before.

At a previous meeting planners had been minded to refuse it, against officer recommendation, it was back in front of them this month after a "cooling off" period.

Manorbier County Councillor, Cllr Phillip Kidney, said that the site was "a bad spot" with drainage being a "huge grey area", the closest shop being 1.7 miles away and no guarantee that children from the development would go to the local school.

"Local feeling is it's a poor spot for a development," he said. "The local community council view is unchanged; it's a poor design, a poor development and a very poor area.

Development management chairman Cllr Reg Own added: "I don't want houses to be built one mile away from the village, all that does is split the community. For that reason, I'm against this application."

Cllr Tony Wilcox added that the 23 new homes would quadruple the size of the area, he questioned why the planning inspectorate had said the site was well- related, being a mile from both Jameston and Manorbier.

Ted Sangster said that the recommendation had been tested against the Local Development Plan (LDP). He warned the committee:

"I can see no reason why the inspectorate, on appeal, would not hold up the application."

The committee's legal advisor reminded them that the application had to be determined in accordance with the LDP.

"This has been examined by the inspectorate and found to be sound," he said. "I think refusal would be subject to appeal. I am concerned that the authority would lose, and costs would be awarded against the authority."

Chairman, Cllr Reg Owen replied: "We should not be looking over our shoulders to appeal when we make a decision. If we lose on appeal, then so be it. I would urge members to vote how they feel."

The decision went to recorded vote, with nine members voting to approve the application and seven members voting against it.