A CILGERRAN-based company behind the development of energy efficient homes powered by solar energy is set to build another five homes in a north Pembrokeshire village.

Western Solar Ltd’s application to build five, two-storey houses in Boncath has been approved by the county’s planning committee.

Innovative Ty Solar low-energy homes use around 12 per cent the energy of a standard house with a number already built around the county, including in Trefin and the first solar village in Wales at Glanrhyd.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee heard that Boncath Community Council objected to the plan as it would contribute to the doubling in size of the village, when combined with Western Solar’s plans for 10 affordable homes not yet built.

Part of the application site fell outside the village boundary but this contravention of planning policy was outweighed and officers recommended it for approval.

Conditions of the permission included a financial contribution through the Section 106 policy and the development of a construction management plan.

Planning agent Llyr Evans told the committee that each house would have solar panels and were built using around 80-per cent locally sourced materials.