A formal application for 30 affordable homes in a Ceredigion seaside town has been submitted, with less public open space proposed after concerns about a loss of parking were raised.

Asbri Planning Ltd has been commissioned by housing association Barcud to submit a full planning application to Ceredigion County Council for the 100 per cent affordable scheme at Central Car Park, Towyn Road, New Quay, following an earlier pre-application consultation.

The site currently operates as a pay and display car park that is owned and managed by Barcud.

The housing initially proposed was a mix of 16 one-bed flats, 10 two-bed semi-detached houses and four three-bed semis, with 56 parking spaces.

One of the biggest concerns raised locally was the loss of the car parking facilities.

Following the consultation and a public engagement event at New Quay’s at Memorial Hall, changes have been incorporated into the submitted application.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said: “The overwhelming response received during both the Pre-Application Consultation process and the engagement event was the loss of the parking provision and the need to ensure that we can deliver as much parking as possible which will help alleviate any pressures on local businesses.

“In general, there was support for the development to come forwards and there was an acknowledgement that the site has been allocated for residential development within the adopted LDP. As such, we reviewed the layout following PAC to see how we can try and work with local residents and businesses as much as possible to ensure that the layout can address their principal concern; the loss of parking.

“Accordingly, we have been able to retain the 30 dwellings and have been able to allocate an additional 37 parking spaces primarily on land to the east of the lower plateau utilising the same access provision. This clearly represents betterment in terms of parking provision and subject to further detailed design, we have been able to present a scheme that responds well to the concerns raised.

“However, in doing so, we’ve had to utilise 230m2 of land that was previously identified as public open space.”

It is now proposed – after discussions with council officers - the site will have 10 one-bed flats, six two-bed flats, 10 two-bed semi-detached houses and four three-bed semis, along with more than 90 parking spaces.

Regarding the car parking, the applicant says: “The existing car park is provided as a commercial enterprise and the landowner is under no obligation to continue to provide car parking facilities for visitors to New Quay.  Should the landowner wish, the use of the land as a car park could be ceased at any time.”

A previous application at the site, for 39 dwellings, was refused in 2020.

The latest scheme will be considered by county planners at a later date.