Outline plans for three homes on a parcel land in Aberarth have been refused by Ceredigion County Council planning officers because the application isn’t 100 per cent affordable homes and over concerns the village cannot accommodate more homes.

The scheme, which would have seen two affordable homes and one open market house built on land adjacent to Bryndewi Farm, followed two unsuccessful plans for the land.

An outline application to erect a dwelling on this parcel of land was refused planning permission in August 2009 on grounds that it was outside the UDP settlement boundary and was considered to be harmful to the character appearance and landscape.

An outline application for the provision of one open market and one affordable dwelling on the plot was also refused planning permission in October 2024.

Llansantffraed Community Council objected to the plans saying they would have an adverse impact on the existing foul sewage system, and raised concerns over the “visibility provided by the proposed access arrangements and the narrowness of the road adjoining the site.”

The council also questioned the “appropriateness of affordable housing at this location.”

Refusing the scheme, council planners in a report said that the council’s “current position is that only proposals for 100 per cent affordable housing would be considered policy compliant on this site.”

“Furthermore, the planning authority places significant weight to the unsustainable nature of Aberarth as a location for new housing,” council planners added.

“The settlement offers extremely limited facilities; with the only facility being the village hall on the western side of Aberarth and across the busy A487 trunk road.

“Future occupiers would be heavily reliant on the private car for access to employment, healthcare, and day-to-day needs.

“This level of dependency on private vehicles is contrary to the principles of sustainable development.”