South Wales Evening Post - 25 November 2006
Backers behind a proposal to create a £15 million luxury golf development in Swansea may abandon the idea.
It follows a shock decision by a three-member Assembly planning group last week to reject the idea, estimated to have been worth some £35 million a year to the local economy.
The stumbling block was a plan for 95 houses on the Royal Fern Park development, which would have gone against local planning policy.Swansea councillors have now agreed to offer support for Royal Fern Park at a public inquiry next March.
However, they have been prevented from making a firm commitment to it by adding it to the council's long-term plans for the future. A number of councillors had wanted the development added to the council's Unitary Development Plan (UDP). That would have increased the chances of the bid being successful in the future.
That option has been rejected and the decision has left the developers furious.
Directors of Dillwyn Productions will meet next month. But a spokesman said the decision could leave the project dead in the water.
He added yesterday: "This is a decision for the board now. More than £750,000 has already been spent on this project in the last five years.
"Now we have to ask the question: 'Do we want to continue spending money when the council does not appear to be fully committed?'"
Councillor Rene Kinzett said the decision has not helped the development and could put off other investors.
"The motion was poorly worded and does nothing to commit the authority to support the Royal Fern scheme at the UDP public inquiry," he said.
"There are developers who are watching Swansea Council to see how we handle this massive opportunity."
However, council leader Chris Holley insisted the council had done enough.
He said: "I am satisfied we are following the right course of action. Whether other people think that is entirely up to them. I hope the applicant stays on board."
