Plans for a housing scheme of 12 homes near Sageston village’s school, which includes an affordable housing offer of £30,000 and a new school footpath, have been refused this month by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Haverfordwest-based Carew Castle Estates, through agent Harries Planning Design Management sought permission for a housing development of 12 three-bed homes on land south of Sageston County Primary School.

The application site comprises of the old school paddock in the centre of the village.

A supporting statement for the appliation that went before the meeting, said an expected five per cent contribution to affordable housing would be met through a commuted sum of £30,519, secured by a Section 106 legal agreement, along with a school footpath, with the land gifted to the school.

It stated: “We believe this footpath will provide positive community benefits and will ensure that the existing footpaths in the area link directly to the school. The footpath will be bound with anti-climb fencing and significant evergreen hedging to provide ample screening between the dwellings and the path. The footpath will be constructed by the school.”

“This proposal is considered to offer an acceptable form of residential development in line with the local development policies. The proposal is respectful of its context and offers a range of tenure options for the market.”

The scheme was refused by county planners on grounds including it failed to provide a Unilateral Undertaking to secure the required financial contributions towards the provision of local needs affordable housing, insufficient information on the potential impact on a public water supply, and insufficient information available to demonstrate that the proposed development would not have an adverse impact on the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC from an increase impact from nitrates.