An application to vary planning conditions which put a developer outside permitted consent led to concerns about flooding and child safety being raised.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee approved the condition variations which related to an already approved housing development on land adjacent to Stepaside School, Kilgetty.

The conditions required the submission of and approval of details relating to an altered school access road and drop off point, wheel washing area, contamination review and completion of a capacity study for waste water treatment works access before any work started.

However, work has already started on site with neighbouring residents highlighting issues resulting from this including flooding of Shillingford Park, a retirement home, and concerns about construction traffic on the school access road.

Stop notices have been issued while the condition breaches are resolved.

Kilgetty and Begelly Community Council opposed the condition variations with the committee also hearing objections from Graham Evans, owner of Shillingford Park.

He told the committee on Tuesday (March 10) that he had owned the site for 50 years and it had not flooded until the development land had been “stripped” last year but it now happened every time there was heavy rain. He added that nearby St Marys Park had also been flooded.

Local member David Pugh submitted a statement to be read outlining his concerns “relating to the conditions imposed and the fact that they have not been implemented.”

“Allowing conditions to change without addressing the underlying problems is in my opinion not on,” he added.

Clr. Michael Williams said it was clear there had been a “significant detrimental impact on the residents already, to remove these conditions would only exacerbate this issue. The conditions are there for a very good reason and they should be enforced.”

Varying the conditions would bring the developer back within the original permission the committee was told be director of planning Stephen Popplewell and allow work to continue which would improve matters such as water attenuation requirements.

Construction traffic would not use the school road at drop off an pick up times, he added.

Clr. Stephen Joseph said it was wrong that nothing could be done by the planning committee to ensure flood mitigation measures were put in immediately.

The condition variations allows the detailed specification on the road, wheel washing area, contamination and water capacity feasibility study to be submitted before any housing foundations are completed.