A controversial plan for more than 100 houses in the Cynon Valley has been approved on appeal.
Davies Homes’ plan for 120 houses on the former Blaengwawr Comprehensive School site on Club Street in Aberaman has been approved on appeal after Rhondda Cynon Taf’s planning committee turned it down against officer recommendations.
Residents had raised objections with 62 letters sent to the council raising fears about the effect the development would have over residents’ quality of life and councillors voted to reject the application in June last year.
But now a Welsh Government planning inspector has overturned the decision and awarded costs against the council to the developer.
One of the main concerns was that the development will be accessed only through Club Street and local residents say this is not sufficient and will cause even greater traffic problems than there currently are.
Some of the other reasons for objection included that the presence of the sports pitch already exacerbates congestion on Club Street and there aren’t enough parking spaces for residents as it is.
Objectors said the proposals would removed 20% of the current legal on-street parking space and that the new extra-care facility at Maesyffynon does not have enough parking provision.
Plans for more than 100 homes on former Cynon Valley school site rejected
There were also concerns about the effect on the Club Street junction with the B4275 Cardiff Road with concerns that a bottleneck will be caused because of more cars using Club Street.
There was particular concern about the access points being unsuitable for large vehicles and machinery during construction as well as access for emergency vehicles.
The official reason the planning committee agreed on for refusal was “the access to the proposed development is considered detrimental to highway safety as a consequence of the inadequate vision splay at the junction of Club Street and Cardiff Road, and the pinch point at the site access point which is considered substandard.”
But the reasons officers had recommended it for approval were: “The principle of the proposed development is considered acceptable and the detail of the proposals are acceptable in terms of other material particulars.
“The current application also represents an opportunity to bring forward much needed housing in the mid valley area of the Cynon Valley which will also help to address the current housing land supply shortage in the wider county borough.”
The applicant’s design and access statement submitted with the plan says it is a site that is “deliverable and available for development,” that the plan is a “sensitive” and “attractive” development and a “suitable scale” of development.
