72 town centre flats approved amid parking and ‘prison block’ claims

Nicholas Thomas Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for 72 new town-centre homes have been approved despite parking concerns and claims the new flats will resemble “prison blocks”.

Housing association Linc Cymru is behind the project to replace the town’s former indoor market at Pentrebane Street, Caerphilly with a mixture of social and open-market homes, as well as some ground-floor commercial units.

The project forms part of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s wider placemaking plans for the town, which also include the Ffos Caerffili market and proposals for a new train station and hotel.

The £21 million plan for Pentrebane Street could have “the potential to act as a significant catalyst for further redevelopment of this part of Caerphilly”, council planning officers said in a committee report.

But members of the council’s planning committee also heard concerns about the “zero-parking” development, which will not have designated parking spaces for future residents.

Case officer Anthony Pyne said planning permission was recommended for approval on the basis the developer agrees to fund a new Traffic Regulation Order preventing the flats’ tenants from obtaining local parking permits.

Council officers considered Pentrebane Street to be an “extremely sustainable” location close to public transport links and local services, he added.

Cllr Jeff Grenfell cast doubts on the practicality of a zero-parking development, however, arguing people who worked further away, in other valleys, would have problems getting there using public transport.

“To say at least 72 residents won’t have any cars is pie in the sky”, he said, claiming the plans showed a “lack of vision”.

“If this plan had been where I used to live, in Germany, there wouldn’t have been any question about them digging underneath and putting an underground car park in – I don’t know why we couldn’t have done something like that here,” he added.

Cllr Grenfell also relayed residents’ comments that the design of the flats was “the same as the other buildings in town, which are similar to prison blocks”.

Mr Pyne said the general design of the new flats was “considered acceptable” in planning terms.

The Pentrebane Street plans include a ground floor co-working space, as well as six commercial units which could be home to shops, professional services or food and drink businesses.

Cllr Brenda Miles asked whether any parking would be available for commercial vehicles.

“In an ideal world, yes”, replied council engineer Lisa Cooper, who added a parking study had shown 41 regular spaces available overnight, but a more “challenging” availability in the daytime.

“This isn’t London or Birmingham where there’s transport everywhere,” said Cllr Mansel Powell. “To me, it’s an overdevelopment of a site.

“I’ve got real concerns over zero parking – it’s only sustainable in the local area.”

Members of the committee voted 10-1, with one abstention, to back the plans subject to the developer signing a deal to provide 40% affordable housing.

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