A FORMER mayor of Crickhowell wants to buck the trend in allocating sites for housing by adding to the amount of units being made available for development.

In most authorities campaigners are protesting against the high density of housing proposed to meet government targets.

But Geoff Powell, who was mayor during 2006/7, said that the proposed Local Development Plan produced by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has reduced its allocation of houses down from 40 units to 20 units at one site at Upper House farm in Crickhowell.

As part of the consultation process Crickhowell Town Council staged a number of public meetings and resolved after listening to public opinion that this site should be allocated purely for local needs housing.

It was believed at the time that this would accommodate 40 units for which there is a demand as identified by the housing needs survey for the town.

Mr Powell said: "The original figure for this site started at 64 units, however 24 units have subsequently been built at Ffynonnau reducing this site to 40.

"Crickhowell has suffered 15 percent depopulation from around 1980 to today, due largely to high house prices and extensive in-migration of retirement age people from out of the area, particularly the South East of England.

"This effect has been to make it impossible for young native families to live in the area, particularly those aspiring to home ownership, part home ownership yet alone social rental housing.

"The strongest outcome of the public consultation in Crickhowell was that of local needs housing."

Melin Homes has stated that following their meeting in Clarence Hall, with potential local needs homes occupiers, that the demand for social and affordable housing is far greater than the authority is suggesting.

Mr Powell added: "In the initial stages within the LDP documentation this site was accepted by the BBNPA as suitable for local needs housing only.

"`However, in later documentation this has changed to open market housing then reduced from 40 to 20.

"The net result is that on a 30 per cent basis this will be a maximum of seven local needs houses, which is a far cry from the minimal requirement of 40 immediately.

"The LDP proposals for the whole of this area are not just ridiculous, but a complete rejection of the needs of local natives within the communities of the BBNPA.

"The Local Development Plan was intended to be a community led planning system, which is definitely no longer is, and all the responses from the community and town council have been ignored, thereby making a mockery of the words 'community led' ."

Powys County Councillor John Morris shares these views and told the Chronicle that there were a number of 'eminently suitable' sites for housing development which had been previously rejected by the National Park Authority.

Councillor Morris added: "The amount of new housing allocated for Crickhowell is inadequate.

"It seems to me that the BBNPA are paying lip service to the needs of local people as what they are suggesting is that they are working to an environmental capacity.

"But this is at the expense of the younger generation by not allowing for organic growth for local families to remain in the area.

"The authority has to take notice of the housing needs survey or else its a social experiment to stop people living in the National Park.

"If the authority does not sit up and take note and allocate additional housing units for Crickhowell the county will suffer the knock on effects for years to come.

"This LDP policy only exacerbates the problem leaving the Crickhowell area to become dominated by the wealthy and the retired, which in turn will cause the schools and the general vibrancy of the town to suffer."

At February's meeting of Crickhowell Town Council, members recorded a unanimous agreement to support the development of three additional Crickhowell sites for housing development.

Mr Powell concluded: "I feel that the general public ought to be aware of the evolving Local Development Plan as the legislation for the next 15 years as it totally ignores the needs of local people."

• THE outcome of the public inquiry held in February over the redevelopment of the former at Cwrt-y-Gollen army camp is now being considered by Welsh Government ministers who will decide if the proposed redevelopment of the site can used to build 200 houses.

The Welsh Government is expected to make their decision by October 12.