At a meeting of Carmarthenshire Council's Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Community Cohesion and Planning Policy, a £50 charge for household permitted development enquiries was approved, and changes to the charging schedule for the Caeau Mynydd Mawr Marsh Fritillary Project were endorsed, pending a six-week public consultation. The meeting also included a review of the Caeau Mynydd Mawr Marsh Fritillary Project and the signing of the previous meeting's minutes.

Fees for Permitted Householder Development Enquiries

A £50 charge per enquiry for household permitted development enquiries was introduced. Councillor Carys Jones, Cabinet Member, reviewed the alternative options available, but considered that a charge for the service was appropriate, given the increasing demand for household permitted development enquiries. The council expects this change to support the planning service's ambition to become fully cost recoverable, bringing it in line with other local authorities that already charge for this service.

The council's planning department assesses household permitted development enquiries free of charge, to confirm whether planning permission is required for developments such as extensions, outbuildings and roof conversions. According to the report, the increasing demand for these assessments has put a strain on the department's resources. Funding for planning services is not fully cost recoverable, as statutory fees are set by the Welsh Government, with the gap funded by the council. The council considers this to be an opportunity cost to other priority areas.

The report considered the option of discontinuing the service, but this was rejected because it would negatively impact customers and could lead to an increase in unauthorised development.

Caeau Mynydd Mawr Marsh Fritillary Project

The Cabinet Member endorsed changes to the charging schedule outlined within the current adopted Caeau Mynydd Mawr Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG), and approved a six-week consultation on the proposed changes to the SPG.

The revised charging schedule, previously approved by the council in January 2021, is as follows:

• Housing: £1,531 per dwelling
• Commercial/Retail: Site area pro rata with equivalent of 30 dwellings per hectare (£45,930)
• Employment: Site area pro rata with equivalent of 30 dwellings per hectare (£43,930)
• Education/Community: Site area pro rata with equivalent of 30 dwellings per hectare (£43,930)
• Transport/highways infrastructure: Site area pro rata with equivalent of 30 dwellings per hectare (£43,930)

The Caeau Mynydd Mawr Marsh Fritillary Project was introduced in 2013 to protect and manage the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly and its habitats around the Cross Hands area. The project requires financial contributions from developments to mitigate their impact on the Marsh Fritillary population. These contributions are secured through Section 106 agreements¹ and are used to manage the impact of development.

The report stated that the project is essential for ensuring that growth objectives within Cross Hands are implementable. Failure to deliver the project would risk the council's strategic objectives for economic development and would significantly impact on the compliance of the Local Development Plan (LDP), including the Revised LDP, with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2025 were approved and signed as a correct record.