A scheme for 30 affordable homes in New Quay, expected to be approved next week, “could lead to increased antisocial behaviour and even be used to house people from Birmingham”, objections to the plan have said.

Housing association Barcud is seeking permission from Ceredigion County Council for the 100 per cent affordable scheme at Central Car Park, Towyn Road, following an earlier pre-application consultation.

The application is recommended for conditional approval at the 13 February meeting of the council’s development management committee.

The site currently operates as a pay and display car park, owned and managed by Barcud.

Following a public consultation where concerns about a loss of parking were raised, the proposal was amended to the site having 10 one-bed flats, six two-bed flats, 10 two-bed semi-detached houses and four three-bed semis, along with more than 90 parking spaces.

New Quay Town Council has objected to the proposals, raising concerns including the loss of parking spaces and its impact on the tourism industry, a lack of public transport in the town to cater for additional residents, and also questions the demand for one-bed units in the town.

The scheme saw 29 objections and one letter of support.

Objections included the impact of the development on tourism and the local economy through the loss of parking provision, questions about who would reside in the units, social housing not needed and inappropriate for the town, and the impact on local services.

One objector said: “Many of the houses will be given over to ‘Housing Association’ houses, meaning that many of the families will be on benefits. “This in turn means they will have no spending power in the village and thus will bring no benefits to businesses, i.e the shops, restaurants, DIY shops, hairdressers and other hospitality businesses.

“It is well known that families on benefits do not look after their properties and the area that is the car park will become scruffy and unkempt. Further, as with other similar areas within the local area and having spoken with a local and very experienced PCSO, police will be called upon more frequently; they are few and response times will be lengthy.”

The objector also claimed families would “be coming from Birmingham,” with the council receiving funding for them.

It finished: “…the tiny village of New Quay is not set up to accept this type of housing and the people it will bring.

“The village and its infrastructure is too small and finite. Services will not be increased to support them, and the local community will be left to pick up the pieces of antisocial behaviour and increased used of services.”

In a report for planners, the county’s Senior Housing Officer said the greatest demand for housing in Ceredigion is for one-bed properties, with 245 in the Aberaeron ‘region,’ and “over 1,900 in the county,” with the intention to apply a local lettings policy, which prioritises the applicants from the immediate area.

A previous application at the site was refused in 2020.