Outline planning approved at former water-testing lab

OUTLINE plans for housing at a former water-testing laboratory in Llanelli have been given the go-ahead.

Owner Natural Resources Wales (NRW) now wants to sell the two-acre site.

NRW’s outline scheme at Pen-y-Fai Lane, comprises six detached houses, two semi-detached houses and two affordable homes — each with two parking spaces.

Carmarthenshire Council’s approval for the 10 houses comes with conditions.

The authority said the applicant/developer will also have to agree to provide affordable housing, an area of open space, plus an education contribution.

An NRW spokesman said: “We will be marketing the site in the next month or so and will sell it with (outline) planning permission to maximise the return for the taxpayer.”

NRW moved its analytics services department, which included the water-testing lab, from Llanelli to a new £2m facility at Swansea University’s Singleton Campus a year and a half ago.

The environment body analyses hundreds of bathing water samples from across Wales between May and September, looking for bacteria which are evidence of faeces pollution.

Its application for the Pen-y-Fai Lane redevelopment had prompted objections, including from Llanelli Rural Council on highway safety and drainage grounds.

A detailed planning application covering things like landscaping and design would need to be submitted by NRW or a developer – and agreed by the council – before any houses are built.