A councillor said he was very concerned about extending conservation areas in Carmarthenshire if it meant people living in them couldn't put solar panels on their roofs. Cllr Russell Sparks proposed that a letter should be sent to the Welsh Government about what he and other members of the council's communities, homes and regeneration scrutiny committee felt was a conflict between national planning guidance and the need to reduce carbon emissions.
Carmarthenshire has 27 conservations areas, which aim to preserve and enhance the special character of areas of architectural or historic interest. The status provides the council with an additional measure of planning control, but this does not mean developments or work to homes cannot go ahead.
Cllr Handel Davies said residents in the Llandovery conservation area were finding it "impossible" to install solar panels, and that in his view being able to do so should take precedence over conservation area guidance. Nell Hellier, the council's senior built heritage officer, said she welcomed more solar panel planning applications and said they could be successful if they preserved or enhanced the designated area. "It's always a balance in each situation," she said. Cllr Davies said: "There is a climate action group in Llandovery, and that's not the impression they gave me." You can get more Carmarthenshire news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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People living outside of conservation areas have permitted development rights to install solar panels, subject to conditions. People living in them have to apply for planning consent if they want to put them on the front or side roof and they are visible from the road.
Rhodri Griffiths, the council's head of place of sustainability, said better insulation rather than solar panels might be more effective for householders.
Cllr Sparks asked if there was a matrix planning officers followed for solar panel applications in conservation areas. Ms Hellier said that according to planning guidance, solar panels couldn't be installed on front-facing roofs. But she said it was a balance because the historic character of the building and area would be taken into account.
Cllr Sparks then said: "I think we should be very concerned about extending conservation areas." Mr Griffiths said planning officers had a duty to consider national guidance but that it could be set aside in cases where it wasn't "absolutely explicit". He said: "I would really implore people to come forward with applications."
The council has commissioned reviews of 10 of its 27 conservation areas and recommended that the Llandeilo one is split into two - one covering the town and the other covering the Dinefwr estate. One or more boundary changes are proposed for conservation areas in Kidwelly, St Clears, Laugharne, and four in Carmarthen. No changes were recommended for Newcastle Emlyn and Llanelli, although two new conservation areas in Llanelli could be considered in the future.
Committee members were told a lack of resources had meant the areas hadn't been reviewed for a long time. They also heard that conservation area status would not necessarily conflict with ongoing town centre regeneration work. Ms Hellier said: "We see historic buildings as part of our regeneration potential."
The committee went on to approve Cllr Sparks's Welsh Government letter proposal, and were told that other conservation areas in Carmarthenshire will be reviewed further down the line.
Mr Griffiths, when asked, said the council could consider writing to residents in the new and amended conservation areas. Ms Hellier said last summer's consultation had revealed a lack of information among residents. "People often didn't know they lived in a conservation area," she said.
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