DESPITE concerns about visual impact a replacement house on Newport’s Parrog has been approved by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Local councillor Paul Harries raised concerns about the “special quality of the park and that particular view from the seaward side” at a meeting of the authority’s development management committee on Wednesday, June 9.

He added that there had been “problems with other properties in the area” which had been “located in a dip that then it became not a dip,” with reference made to a nearby property known as Bettws Newydd which was allowed retrospective planning in 2006 on appeal, after being built in a different place and higher than original plans.

“The levels are critical,” said Cllr Michael Williams, “many members and officers may be still recovering from the pain inflicted on us from  certain other application consent where we did not appear to get these levels quite right.”

The application is for a contemporary design three bed-room, two story “linear” dwelling, described as “blocky” by Cllr Di Clements, who moved support for the application while Cllr Phil Kidney said he could not support the design.

Planning officers recommended it for approval and it was considered to be acceptable in terms of scale, form, materials and design as well as not causing unacceptable detrimental impact on the special qualities of the National Park.

The committee voted in favour of allowing delegated approval following consideration of an update ecological report, a review of levels details, and a conservation area application to demolish the existing house was also approved.