Plans for more than 100 houses in Merthyr Tydfil are set for a final decision from councillors after officers said they should be allowed to go ahead, despite large-scale opposition.
The Persimmon Homes application for 121 houses on land off Elm Tree Grove in Twynyrodyn is due to be considered by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, October 19.
A site visit took place before the committee meeting on August 24 and members later voted to defer the application to give themselves the opportunity to review technical reports submitted in support of the application. The proposed residential development would include 12 affordable homes along with one to five-bedroom detached, semi-detached and terraced properties.
The initial proposal was for 131 houses but this has since been reduced to 121. Each of the plots would have at least two parking spaces on driveways and some would include a detached garage.
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Adjacent to the existing playground in the northern part of the site, an area of open green space would be created, which would have things like climbing boulders, balancing logs and grassed mounds. In the southern part of the site, there would be a large multi-functional area of open green space, which would form part of a sustainable drainage scheme for the development.
A route for pedestrians and cyclists would be provided along the main highway in the western part of the site. The majority of the existing vegetation along the western part of the site would be lost as a result of the development but a large section of the woodland area in the eastern part of the site would be retained, together with the vegetation in the southern part of the site adjacent to the trails.
The planning report said the application related to around five hectares between Wallhead Road and Aneurin Crescent to the west and Elm Tree Grove and Oak Tree Rise to the east.
Reasons for opposition to the proposal
The council received 41 letters of objection and a petition with 345 names was submitted. But the report said there was no indication of whether those named objected to the development and, if so, on what grounds. It said there were also no addresses to indicate where they resided and no signatures to validate the objections.
The concerns raised by the objectors included that traffic through Twynyrodyn was already at capacity. They said this was worst during school drop-off and pick-up times. They were also worried about air pollution as a result of the additional traffic and with the capacity of the local schools to accommodate children from the new development. They said restrictions should be put in place to prevent parking along both sides of the road at Elm Tree Grove, Bryn Terrace and Penheolferthyr and that traffic re-prioritisation should be put in place at the junction of Penheolferthyr and the A4102 to facilitate any increase in traffic flow.
They said the development would result in the loss of the only green space left in the area, which was widely used for recreation by people of all ages, and could also cause flooding issues.
Why planning officers think it should be approved
But in recommending approval, officers said in the planning report: “The principle of the development is acceptable given that the site is allocated for 120 residential units. The development would make a significant contribution towards the provision of new homes within a sustainable location, which includes the provision of affordable housing. The development has been appropriately designed to integrate with the surrounding area and minimise any potential amenity impacts. A variety of house types and sizes would be provided that add interest to the development and help to meet a range of housing needs.
“It is acknowledged that there are concerns with traffic movement and congestion within the vicinity of the site during peak times and that the development would likely exacerbate these issues. However, appropriate highway improvement works could be implemented to mitigate these impacts as part of a wider strategy (undertaken by the Highway Authority) to improve traffic flow in the area, of which the developer would make a contribution through CIL.”
They added: “Whilst large areas of existing vegetation and immature woodland blocks would be lost across parts of the site, the development would provide areas of landscaped public open space that can be used for recreation and a significant amount of planting including native trees/hedgerows across the site.
“The development of the site would unavoidably have an ecological impact, notably on foraging bats, reptiles and nesting birds. Appropriate mitigation and enhancement measures would be implemented to avoid any harm to protected species, along with new/improved habitat environments provided.
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