A DECISION is due on whether plans for 240 homes in the countryside near Llantwit Major, in the Vale of Glamorgan, should be given planning approval.
The Welsh Government is applying for planning permission to build the 240 homes on two sites of farmland to the east of the town, just south of the newly built Northern Access Road.
The Vale of Glamorgan council’s planning committee will vote on Wednesday, February 24, on whether to approve planning permission.
But locals living nearby are objecting to the plans because of the loss of open countryside and increasing burden on local infrastructure.
The plans are split across two parts: a western site of 7.9 hectares with 140 homes, adjacent to the B4265; and an eastern site of 4.3 hectares with 100 homes, north of Bethesda’r Fro Church. About 35 per cent of the planned homes will be affordable.
Both sites would be accessed off of the Northern Access Road, also known as Fford Bro Tathan.
This new road was built in 2018 and 2019, running from the B4265 north of Boverton to the St Athan enterprise zone and Aston Martin factory.
Llantwit Major town council is objecting to the two applications because of the potential impact on local infrastructure, like schools, doctors and car parking.
Hundreds of other new houses are also planned for the wider area and the town is quickly growing in size.
A spokesman for the town council said: “There are up to 1,000 new residential houses built in Llantwit Major and the surrounding area over the coming few years.
“The local schools in Llantwit Major are already reaching their capacity. The town council has concerns that this development could cause overcrowding within the local schools.”
Llanmaes community council is also objecting to the plans, because of the loss of open countryside, extra demand on struggling sewers, impact on local infrastructure, flood risk, and concerns around local wildlife and archaeological remains.
The clerk for the community council said: “Building an additional 240 houses in open countryside will extend the boundary of the village and will have a detrimental effect on the rural aspect of Llanmaes, as well as being out of proportion to the size of the village.
“The current sewerage and foul water system in the village is insufficient and causes overflow problems on an annual basis. An additional 240 houses will considerably overburden the system.”
Both sites are included in the Vale of Glamorgan’s local development plan and will help the council meet its target of getting 9,460 new homes built between 2011 and 2026.
Planning consultants WYG, working on the applications, said: “The vision is to create an attractive new neighbourhood, combining the charm and character of Vale of Glamorgan villages with contemporary best practice in design and architecture.
“A new community will benefit from living in a location which is well-connected to local commercial centres as well as the south Wales countryside and coastline.”
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