A NUMBER of areas in Carmarthenshire have been added to local conservation areas by Carmarthenshire County Council.

The council has amended its conservation area boundaries in Llandeilo, Laugharne, St Clears, Kidwelly and various points in Carmarthen town itself.

The updates are:

Laugharne conservation area:

  • Landscape verge to the north side of Gosport Street below Orchard Park.

St Clears conservation area:

  • Bridge Street, Manor Daf Gardens and Quayside.

Llandeilo conservation area:

  • Alan Road and Latimer Road, and the car park to the corner of New Road and Rhosmaen Road.
  • The Dinefwr estate becoming its own conservation area.

Kidwelly conservation area:

  • Siloam Baptist Chapel, the War Memorial, slaughterhouse and surrounding landscape and Causeway Street.

Carmarthen (has a number of conservation areas with the conservation area being added to in brackets)

  • Mill Street (Carmarthen Town conservation area).
  • Corner junction in Market Way and the junction to The Bulwarks at Friars Park (Lammas Street conservation area).
  • Empty retail (Lidl) plot, North Parade, Park and Gardens to the north of Priory Street and Parc Hinds and Old Priory Playground (Priory Street conservation area).
  • Morfa Lane, Carmarthen Baracks and the Recreation Ground to the rear of Penllwyn Park (Picton Terrace conservation area).

There are a number of rules now in place for these places in the conservation areas which are:

  • The council is under duty to ensure the preservation or enhancement of the character of the conservation area.
  • Planning applications must be submitted to – and approved by – the council for any demolition of buildings in the conservation areas.
  • Permitted development rights are restricted due to conservation area designation.
  • Special publicity must be given to planning applications for development in conservation areas.
  • When carrying out any functions under the Planning Acts (and in particular, in determining applications for planning consent and listed building consent), the council and Secretary of State are required to take into account the desirability of preserving and enhancing the character of the conservation areas.
  • Six weeks notice must be given to the council before work is carried out on any tree in a conservation area.

Alongside the addition to conservation area boundaries, the council also removed an area from one of the Carmarthen conservation areas. This features the removal of Capel Heol Dŵr Sunday School and Merlin’s Walk from Lammas Street conservation area.

The council also reviewed the Newcastle Emlyn and Llanelli conservation areas but made no changes to them.

These changes were made after a review of 10 of the county’s conservation areas, with the eight alterations being approved by full council in November.