This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/7034371.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Eco-village refusal recommended Planners reject eco-village bid
(about 7 hours later)
Plans for an eco-village of nine small holdings built from scratch on grazing land in rural Pembrokeshire are being recommended for refusal by officials. Plans for an eco-village of nine small holdings built from scratch on grazing land in rural Pembrokeshire have been turned down by councillors.
Lammas, the group behind the bid, said if approved, the community would be a model of low-impact green development. Lammas, the group behind the bid, said it would have been a model low-impact green development, and it now plans to amend the proposals and try again.
The village at Glandwr near the Preseli mountains would be built from natural materials such as turf, wood and straw. The village at Glandwr near the Preseli mountains would have been built from materials such as turf and straw.
But 90 people have objected to the plan and planning officers say the application should be turned down. Ninety people, most living close to the site, objected to the application.
It was the first to be submitted under the council's new "low impact development" policy this year.It was the first to be submitted under the council's new "low impact development" policy this year.
It was drawn up to govern such developments following a protracted dispute over a roundhouse at Brithdir Mawr, near Newport in Pembrokeshire.It was drawn up to govern such developments following a protracted dispute over a roundhouse at Brithdir Mawr, near Newport in Pembrokeshire.
This project will show how we can bring a whole new lease of life to our rural communities Paul Wimbush, Lammas The message we have come away with is that they want more information about our travel and business plans Paul Wimbush, Lammas
The policy requires 75% of all household needs to be met directly from the land.The policy requires 75% of all household needs to be met directly from the land.
Lammas spokesman Paul Wimbush said the homes would be built from naturally occurring materials. Lammas spokesman Paul Wimbush said the homes would have been built from naturally occurring materials.
Each would be heated using willow grown on the site and will harvest rainwater from their roofs. Each was to be heated using willow grown on the site and would have harvested rainwater from their roofs.
All electricity will come from renewable sources including solar panels, small windmills and a water turbine. All electricity was to come from renewable sources including solar panels, small windmills and a water turbine.
"Should this application succeed, it will place Pembrokeshire on the map for promoting green initiatives in the UK," added Mr Wimbush. Each family planning to settle there had produced a plan of how they intended to work the land, producing goods ranging from smoked hams to hazelnuts.
"This project will show how we can bring a whole new lease of life to our rural communities as well as providing affordable housing for young farmers and smallholders." Mr Wimbush said Lamas had received a "mixed-message" at Tuesday's planning meeting.
Each family planning to settle there has produced a plan of how they intend to work the land producing goods ranging from smoked hams to hazelnuts. He said councillors appeared to broadly support low-impact living but added: "The message we have come away with is that they want more information about our travel and business plans.
The application was delivered to county hall in a wheel barrow The application was delivered to county hall in a wheelbarrow
It has the backing of the Countryside Council for Wales and 117 people have written letters of support, although most come from outside Pembrokeshire. "We will look at these again. We are then going to resubmit the application."
However, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is opposing the application along with 90 people. It has the backing of the Countryside Council for Wales and 117 people wrote letters of support, although most came from outside Pembrokeshire.
They say it would increase traffic, have a detrimental affect on the local community and Welsh language, would depart from planning rules and "open floodgates for similar proposals." However, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park opposed the application along with 90 people.
Officers say the local infrastructure would not have the capacity to serve the development. They said it would increase traffic, have a detrimental effect on the local community and Welsh language, would depart from planning rules and "open floodgates for similar proposals."
"Some of the activities and structures on the site and potential traffic generation are not low impact," states a report going before councillors. Officers said the local infrastructure did not have the capacity to serve the development.
"Some of the activities and structures on the site and potential traffic generation are not low impact," stated a report that went before councillors.
"The proposal may not be able to provide sufficient livelihood for the residents without working off-site and not all the adults are necessarily required for the proposal to function.""The proposal may not be able to provide sufficient livelihood for the residents without working off-site and not all the adults are necessarily required for the proposal to function."