PLANS to build 30 new homes on a car park in New Quay have been rejected.

Ceredigion County Council’s planning committee met on Wednesday morning and refused permission for Barcud to build 30 affordable homes on Central Car Park, Towyn Road.

Councillors voted eight to five against the plans.

Giving reasons for the refusal, Cllr Gareth Lloyd said: “Personally, the lack of an economic impact assessment, although it isn’t mandatory was a factor.

“An impact assessment would have been beneficial in making a decision.

“The design of some of them we weren’t too keen on either.

“Going to back to the LDP my personal opinion was not enough proportion was kept back for parking, I felt it was an overdevelopment.

“No one is against principle of allowing planning on the site. The mix of houses and parking spaces lost. Not against policy, just the figures.”

Traders in New Quay have fought hard to stop the development, saying the loss of more than 200 car parking spaces would seriously impact trade in the seaside town.

More than 2,500 people signed a petition against the application.

An officer report to councillors before the meeting said claims by opponents to the scheme that the loss of parking is being “disregarded” and “dismissed” is refuted by the authority, with Barcud saying alternative parking is available in the town, including 169 spaces at Lewis Terrace alone, from an operator “who does not currently open all year due to a stated lack of demand”.

The report also disputed claims about the potential economic impact, saying an extra 98 permanent residents would bring its own benefits.

Head of planning for Ceredigion Russell Hughes-Pickering said members had a difficult decision, adding there was a risk of potential Welsh Government call-ins or judicial reviews or appeals from both sides on the current application.

Reacting to the refusal, New Quay Traders Association, the driving force behind the campaign to save the car park, said: “We welcome the councillors’ decision to reject this damaging proposal but it should never have been recommended for approval by Ceredigion’s planning department in the first place.

“The risks to New Quay’s infrastructure and economy were clear, yet the community was forced to fight to be heard.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.

“Barcud speculatively bought a vital community asset (our central car park)using public funds, without planning permission, and have since restricted access to it. This is a reckless use of public money and we are confident the housing regulator will take an interest.

“We also await a response to our formal complaint over the conflict of interest between Barcud and the council.

“This is not the end. Barcud must now reopen the upper section of the car park, and we call for urgent discussions on how this community asset can be properly protected for the future.”

Barcud said it was awaiting a formal decision notice setting out the grounds of refusal and it ‘will assess the options for the site.’