A FIELD earmarked for new housing in Hay-on-Wye was transformed into a lake of flood water in the recent storms.

The site near the Warren has been approved in the Brecon Beacons National Park's Local Development Plan (LDP) as suitable for development of around 67 new build homes. Local campaigners had opposed the inclusion of the site in the LDP - which was adopted as the park's formal planning document in December last year.

A second field nearby, which is being considered as suitable for development in Powys County Council's LDP, also saw a deluge of flood water.

Dawn Lewis, who is chair of the https://www.facebook.com/hayldpactiongrp"target="_blank&quot">https://www.facebook.com/hayldpactiongrp"target="_blank">Hay LDP Action Group and a town councillor, took photos of the flooding.

She said: "Putting concrete into that field is really going to make matters worse. It's just not good enough.

"We have never said we are against development if it's sensible. It's not a case of 'not in my back yard' and I can't see it from my house, but it's so silly with the issues that field has got.

"When we objected to the LDP we supplied them with information about the flooding."

A national park spokesman said the site had been included in the plan following thorough scrutiny, including at a public examination by the independent planning inspector.

The park authority also said the site isn't in an area identified as at risk of flooding by Welsh Government maps and any developer intending to build homes will have to show how surface drainage will be managed.

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