A square in Carmarthen will be given a major lease of life including covered eating areas and new shrubs and flowers.

There have been previous attempts by Carmarthenshire Council to redevelop the informal square off Jackson’s Lane but nothing came to fruition.

Members of the council’s planning committee approved the latest application which seeks to create a welcoming landscaped space benefiting businesses and residents.

There’ll be new pergolas, replacement paving, an informal play area, low-level lighting and seating areas. The existing walls and railings will be renovated, and trees will be retained.

A planning officer told the committee the design of the weatherproof pergolas hadn’t been finalised and that it was likely they would be licensed to the adjacent food businesses. She said the scheme would provide “a significant enhancement” overall.

A report before the committee said the reconfigured space would make it easier for pedestrians using it as a cut through.

Questions have been asked about the maintenance of the new-look square, and the officer said a condition was proposed requiring a landscape maintenance and management plan to be approved as part of any consent.

She added that there has been consultation about the project, known as Gerddi Llydaw. Cllr Russell Sparks, who represents an area of Carmarthen but not the one covering the square, said he and other councillors representing the town had been kept informed about the proposals and that they backed them.

Cllr Sparks said a previous plan to redevelop the square was “along the lines of a concrete jungle”. Referring to latest application, he said: “This is a significant improvement in my opinion.”

The committee voted in support of the planning officer recommendation for approval.