Assembly Member Rhodri Glyn Thomas has this week called for a moratorium on Carmarthenshire’s Local Development Plan after new figures released by StatsWales for the Welsh government show the county will permit the building of thousands of houses over and above the county’s projected need.

The latest household projections for Wales released on the 27th February show the number of new houses Carmarthenshire will need will be 11,600 over twenty five years (between 2011 and 2036).

But Carmarthenshire’s Local Development Plan - which is currently with the planning inspector - plans for around 10,000 houses in just the next 15 years – almost what the county needs with 10 years to spare.

Plaid Cymru’s Rhodri Glyn Thomas says the latest housing projections are enough to halt the LDP in order for planners to think again about the impact of over-development in the county.

Branding LDPs as an ‘absolute fantasy’, Rhodri Glyn Thomas this week raised the matter with the Welsh government’s Housing Minister.

The Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Assembly Member said:

“The latest housing projections from StatsWales support what Plaid Cymru has said throughout Wales for a very long time – that the house building targets in the LDPs are absolute fantasy and should be scrapped.

“The extremely complex and confusing processes of the LDP can often mask the true extent of development in an area. But what we now know is that the current planned LDP for Carmarthenshire will see around 25 years worth of housing development within 15 years.

“These are not my figures. These are figures from the Welsh Government’s own StatsWales department.

“There is no local need for this scale of over development, and a ‘build at all costs’ attitude will do nothing to secure the unique and vibrant culture, heritage and characteristics of our towns and villages.

“I believe there should be a moratorium on the current LDP. County planners should get back to the drawing board to come up with a realistic plan in line with Carmarthenshire’s true need.”