A PLAN submitted nearly three years ago for a bungalow in Abergavenny’s Park Close has been approved for a second time – eight months after councillors agreed to reject it.

In January councillors refused to grant planning permission, despite a recommendation from officers for approval, due to a dispute over a proposed shared driveway running between the front doors of two neighbouring homes they considered to be “dangerous”.

Planning officers had said the plan should be approved despite highway officials warning the shared drive would lead to “undesirable and dangerous vehicle manoeuvres”.

When the application was brought back to the following month’s planning committee, for a formal refusal with stated reasons, the decision was reversed and instead of being formally rejected the proposed bungalow in the back garden of Number 11 Park Close, Abergavenny was approved by seven votes to six.

That was the same margin the committee had voted to reject the application by in February though Conservative councillor for Llangybi Fawr Fay Bromfield declared an interest in February when she realised applicant Stephen Parry was a customer of her butcher’s shop and took no further part in considering the application.

At the committee’s August meeting a revised access plan was presented to the committee which approved the application by six votes to five with three abstentions, and Cllr Bromfield had again declared an interest.

Planning officer Andrew Jones said new plans will have a parking space at the front of 11 Park Close which would reduce vehicle movements along the driveway to the new bungalow on land behind the house where there would also be space for vehicles to turn so they could enter, and exit, in a forward gear.

The committee heard objections to the application from Jay Shipley who complained the proposed bungalow would have an “overbearing” impact at her home on Park Crescent, Abergavenny town councillor Chris Holland who highlighted concerns over the drive and county councillor for the Park ward Tudor Thomas who highlighted that 23 local residents had signed a petition opposing the plans.

Mr Holland told the committee he was taking part in the county council meeting as a member of the public and said "At no time at all was our deputy principle officer (Ms Shipley) involved in any discussions surrounding this application. She declared an interest and left the room."

Mr Parry, who first submitted the application in October 2022, said: “Cars have reversed out of that site now and have done since the 1950s with no accidents.”

He said he was a ‘little bit concerned’ at Abergavenny Town Council’s objection as he had ‘copied’ similar plans from a nearby development which the council hadn’t objected to.

Plannning committee member Cllr Sue Riley said: “My objection was the house next door would have a door very, very close to that driveway. I think that’s a significant safety issue.”

Mr Jones said there was no longer an objection from the council’s highways officer and on overbearing he said the distance between the proposed bungalow and existing properties is greater than the council’s minimum standards. He also said the council considered the bungalow, which will be 6.7 metres to its ridge height, acceptable.