A strongly contested proposal for a housing development in a Pembrokeshire village has been given the go ahead...but only just.

Members of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s development management committee have previously discussed the plan for Trefin and visited the site.

There were nine votes for and nine votes against an application for 11 houses – only two of which will be affordable units with just one bedroom – and it was committee chairman Dr Madeleine Havard’s casting vote that passed delegated approval.

There will be two, two bedroom houses, four, three bed houses, four, four bedroom houses and two, one bedroom maisonettes built on land adjacent to Cefn Gallod, with a new entrance created for construction traffic, but not for resident access following completion.

Using the Cefn Gallod entrance was raised as a concern by some at the development management committee on Wednesday (July 20) along with a number of issues highlighted by objectors to the proposals, along with community and county councillor for the area Neil Prior.

Cllr Prior said that he has submitted a pre-action protocol letter regarding the application on grounds relating to the development layout and lack of adequate affordable housing provision adding that the National Park “can’t abandon the local plan on this issue.”

Other objections, including 22 letters received by the authority, highlight highway safety, noise and disturbance, insufficient affordable housing provision, poor design of the dwellings, drainage and sewerage capacity.

Llanrhian Community Council also objects to the proposals.

Cllr Reg Owens moved refusal of the application on the ground of impact on quality of life and well-being of the residents and highway issues while Cllr Peter Morgan added that residents had “pleaded” with him to not allow access through Cefn Gallod where parking is “already bonkers.”

Cllr Rhys Jordan said the “expensive and desirable homes” are unlikely to be lived in all year round.

“I don’t think it benefits the local community really, we should try to do better on the affordable units,” he added.

The application meets planning policy the committee heard during discussion about a mistake in the printed local development plan indicating three affordable units at that allocated site and its acceptance by inspectors.

Dr Havard said it was “with much regret” that she was voting in favour of the officer recommendation for approval, subject to conditions including submission of a completed legal agreement securing affordable housing in perpetuity.

Following the meeting Cllr Prior said online: “Myself and a small group of residents have worked very hard to get this back to the committee on the basis that there were grounds for a legal challenge, and there still are, but right now we have to consider the next moves.

“I’m not anti-planning or anti-housing, far from it, but this particular application is wrong for the community on so many levels, which the current policies do little to mitigate. I’m grateful for the support, but hugely disappointed by this outcome.”