Call to approve controversial homes scheme subject to conditions

BLAENAU Gwent councillors will be advised to agree a detailed planning application for 20 houses and associated works at a controversial site in Tredegar.

On Wednesday, July 10 the county borough council’s Planning committee will decide a proposal by Darren Hillman for the 20 homes at land next to the Ashvale sports club, Griffiths Gardens in Tredegar.

The site has considerable planning history.

In 2017 a planning application for 18 homes was refused by councillors on the Planning committee due to highway safety issues,

A year later in 2018 the decision was overturned by planning inspectors with “significant costs” awarded against the council.

This is because planning inspectors believed councillors to have “behaved unreasonably” in rejecting the application.

The application is before councillors as it has been deemed a “major development” and has also been the subject of call in by the local councillor due to highway safety and that it could cause flooding issue in streets “below” the site.

Currently the site has been used for grazing and had been a sports pitch in the past.

Planning officer Helen Hinton said: “The current proposal details the provision of 20 dwellings comprising a mix of detached and semi-detached houses and a pair of flats.”

The report shows that one two bedroom property and two one bedroom flats would be set aside as “affordable homes.”

Of the remaining 17 houses – 10 would be four bedroom homes with the remaining seven set to be five bedroom properties.

They would all be put up for sale on the open market.

Ms Hinton said: “Access via Griffiths Gardens was a matter considered as part of the previous application with the principle positively established by the appeal decision.”

“The proposed development would collectively provide 54 parking spaces in a combination of integral garages, detached garages, frontage and tandem parking.”

Requests for donations of £37,752 for primary and £57,685 for secondary schools have been made by the council’s education department.

A further request for £69,760 to go towards upgrading or refurbishing play areas in the ward have also been made by the council’s leisure department.

As part of the planning permission the applicant is would need to sign a section 106 agreements to deliver these community benefits.

During the consultation process Tredegar town council objected to the development.

This was due to the “serious concerns” about access to the site.

Ms Hinton said:  “In summary, the proposed residential development is considered acceptable in land use terms and has been positively established by the granting of outline permission.

“It is considered that the development would not have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, the amenity of the surrounding properties or the safe, effective, and efficient use of the highway network.

“It is also considered the proposal would contribute towards housing supply within the borough and would enhance green infrastructure connections and the ecological value of the site.

“It is recommended, subject to the applicant entering into a section 106 agreement that planning permission be granted subject to conditions.”

If the applicant fails to enter the section 106 agreement within six months Ms Hinton asks councillors to agree that delegated authority is given to the development services manager to refuse the application.