CONTROVERSIAL plans to build ten houses near a busy health centre in Milford Haven have been put on hold, following concerns over the impact on parking.

An application for outline planning in an area of car park formerly used by Manchester Square Health Centre was discussed at a meeting of the council’s planning committee on Tuesday (December 16).

The plans, submitted by site owner Assura Group, are to build ten two-storey properties, with parking to the front and gardens.

But, addressing committee members, local councillors Stephen Joseph and John Cole both raised concerns over the impact the development would have on the surrounding area.

The car park, which was initially open to the public when the health centre was built in 2012, has been the focus of much local anger after most of it was fenced off a year later by Assura Group.

If the plans were given the go-ahead, they would see the number of car parking spaces halved permanently.

Cllr Cole said that, as health boards across Wales move towards more care being delivered locally, demand for the surgery – and parking spaces – was surely set to increase.

He informed members that Milford Haven Town Council had been pursuing the issue with Hywel Dda health board, but as yet had not made any progress.

Cllr Joseph said that the health centre combined two formerly separate practices, meaning it was an issue that affected the whole town and beyond.

He added that parking was already a major issue in the area, and that a further clamp-down on spaces would lead to more illegal – and potentially dangerous – parking.

Cllr Ken Rowlands proposed a visit to the site, so that councillors could see the parking situation first-hand, and was supported by all members.