Plans for a CK’s store at a former petrol station east of Llanelli have been turned down.
The food retailer’s proposal for Cwmfelin Road, Bynea, was said to have public support but Carmarthenshire Council planning officers said a transport statement should have accompanied the application and that people parking there would not be able to get in and out safely.
Planning officers also said that no evidence about potential land contamination at the site and its location in a defined coal mining area had been provided.
A design statement submitted on behalf of CK’s Foodstores had said the store was much-needed and that “verbal support has been evident from the community”. The development would, it said, reduce the amount of driving local people did in order to buy food.
The statement said the former petrol station also sold food before closing and was being used by a car sales company until 2017, since when the site has remained empty. The petrol station’s yellow overhead canopy has been dismantled for safety reasons.
“The proposal will create a very much needed shop area that will further serve the local community and passing trade and tourists alike,” said the statement.
Eleven parking spaces were proposed, including one disabled bay, and two electric vehicle charging points. There are two bus stops at the site, and Cwmfelin Road is close to Bynea train station. The shop would also have offered some post office services. The applicant can appeal the decision.
Thank god for that. The last thing needed at that junction is a bottleneck. On the top of a hill as well. A bloody danger. Well done council..
Why, the junction was narrowed by the council, and its not on top of a hill?
Wendy Wallace-Williams it’s within the zone of an existing junction with Station Road. There needs to be a roundabout there that can also serve the new store.
Buy the shop in Swiss Valley.
Kev Yeo no we want the shop here 😂
Gwennan Thomas I hear they are opening and off licence in Bryn.
Kelly Smith
Well that was a silly choice as I thought the council want to create jobs in the area plus it’s a gd convenience store and would certainly look better than a run down petrol station. As for it being dangerous I’m sure a crossing could be put there and mirrors put on the bridge to see for oncoming traffic or even a set of lights or camera there to slow down the idiots thinking they are bow and Luke from the dukes of hazard….all down to sensible planning 🤔
Typical council nonsense
Kelly Pewsey gutted
Celyn Stephens sad x
It’s 20mph so should not be an issue.
Shouldn’t be too much trouble to get this overruled at a higher level. Jobs!!!
Chris Cole
So it was fine for traffic to get in and out of a garage when it was on the main road to Llanelli, but now the road is 20mph and there’s a bypass it’s too dangerous?
Haven’t paid the correct councillor.
Andrew Thomas he owns the St Elli centre
The foundations are done and they’ve been advertising for staff?! 🤔
Kathryn Jenkins excatlly what I was thinking…
We need a shop down this end to pop into. So many up the road that the locals can walk to…not the best decision
It’s the perfect location for a shop
The owner isn’t part of the Llanelli ‘funny handshake’ club is he? Like the taffia 🤬
Carmarthen council standing in the way of expanding local business. With 20mph restriction cars would be going to slow to make it dangerous.
Their probably waiting to build houses there, They’ll build anywhere.
Who remembers the site selling the lowest cost fuel for miles ?
No one moaned then !
Google Map the area, to see how many roof tops are within a two mile radius.
Apart from the many jobs that would be created, think how convenient this great enterprise would be.
It was a garage before the days of planning permission.
There’s been several crashes on that part of the road. A roundabout is needed on the junction to station road & that could also serve the new store.
There’s VOC contamination on site that hasn’t had remediation nor is it outlined in the planning application.
It’s also sitting directly above a mine shaft, so piling to bedrock for foundation would be required.
While I think that most people would be in favour of a store, the planning application on behalf of CKs fails to address major concerns with the site.
The junction between Cwmfelin Road & Station Road has been a hotspot for accidents for decades that CCC has failed to address.
The addition of the speed camera & narrowing have only exacerbated the existing conditions & it’s more dangerous now than ever.
What’s been needed is mini roundabouts at the junctions of both Station Road & Berwick Road, either side of the bridge. A roundabout on the Station Road side could also serve the new shop & on the Berwick Road side, the railway station.
Other issues include the VOC contamination of the site that needs bioremediation & plans for groundwork’s that take into account that it’s sitting on a mineshaft.
The regulations for all these issues have been in place for a considerable amount of time & so, although CCC have work that needs to be done to enable the new store to be built & for the safety of the area, the reason for the rejected application was down to a lack of knowledge &/or foresight by the architect/designers/engineers.
Carly Dean Smith
Political decision again?
Colin Jones Not enough in the brown envelope ✉️
That was our club house when my ex was in ddraig llwydd club. Some good nights there
Crooked planning officers.