Heated exchanges took place at a recent meeting of the county economy overview and scrutiny committee when members challenged moves for the compulsory purchase of 28.5 acres of land for the development of a motor retail park at Withybush.

Raised voices were heard in the committee room when members went into private session for 30 minutes to thrash out the matter after four members signed a request to call in a cabinet decision to implement a compulsary purchase order (CPO) powers if discussions with the landowners were not concluded by May 31st.

A letter was produced from the landowners stating that the council had not contacted them and they had not appointed agents.

Signatories Councillors (cllr) Henry Jones, John Allen, Moira Lewis and Kate Becton said that the owners of the land had not been informed of a zoning change or likely CPO action. Cllr Becton said the scrutiny procedure had not been properly followed and further documentation needed to be considered.

Cllr Henry Jones questioned director of development, Roger Barrett-Evans, about the lack of contact with the owner over re-zoning from green wedge to industrial development land.

He replied that he had been dealing with the agents. It was not usual to contact individual owners when discussing land for the Joint Unitary Development Plan.

Cllr Jones said that he would be annoyed if someone was making plans for his land without telling him. If they could not identify the owner of nearly 30 acres of land there was something wrong.

The director said compulsory purchase did not mean confiscation but acquisition at market value.

The joint unit development plan re-zoning had been approved by the council and, under pressure from about seven motor retailers for space out of town, he had taken over negotiations from the Welsh Development Agency Land Office because of slow progress. The director agreed to respond to the owner's letter and review the May 31st deadline.