Councillors to consider plans for houses and flats near industrial estate

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter

A plan for more than 40 houses and flats near an industrial estate is due to come back before councillors for a decision.

The application for 41 affordable homes on land near Bryngelli Industrial Estate in Hirwaun went before Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) planning committee on Thursday, August 15, with councillors approving a site visit on highways grounds.

It is due to go back before the committee on Thursday, September 12, for a decision to be made.

It would be made up of eight one-bed flats, two two-bed bungalows, 12 two- bed houses, 17 three-bed houses and two four-bed houses.

An application for 35 homes at the site was reported back to committee in April 2023, when members voted to approve the application, subject to a Section 106 Agreement but that has not yet been finalised and so the decision notice has not been issued.

Amended plans

The report of the site visit said amended plans have been received to properly reflect the land owned/in control of the applicant, which removes a small strip of land in front of existing garages on Meadow Lane (opposite the site) which was initially included in error.

At the site meeting, committee members discussed the land ownership issue and asked for clarity that the removal of the land would not impact on the ability to make highways improvements and officers confirmed this would not impact improvements.

They also discussed the current highways access and the proposed new width as well as the number of vehicle movements per day with officers saying as part of the conditions of the application, no development on the site would take place until the highways improvements to Meadow Lane and the junction access had been completed.

They discussed the track opposite the site entrance and queried the
potential use of this, with officers saying it was a private unadopted track and the entry access to the proposed development would be off centred to the current access and therefore it would be unlikely this route would be used.

Revision

Members also queried the revision to the layout of the proposed homes and officers said there has been minimal change from the previously approved application to accommodate the extra properties.

Local councillors Karen Morgan and Adam Rogers spoke of their concern regarding highways safety and in particular the use of Meadow Lane to access the site, the access for construction traffic and the use of the unadopted track directly opposite the site.

An officer said a construction method statement would be required as part of the conditions of the application and the use of the private unadopted lane would not be acceptable by construction traffic.

They also said the highways improvements would be required to be completed before any construction work could start on the main site

The local councillors also shared their concern regarding the number of parking spaces available and in particular the possibility of visitors parking outside the site, further impacting on highways safety.

The highways officer confirmed that while the parking provision was lower than the maximum standards, the proposed development provides 74 off-street car parking spaces with a minimum of one space per one and two-bed unit, a minimum of two spaces per three-bed unit and three spaces per four-bed unit, with space available within the new development and widened lane to accommodate short-term visitor or residents’ parking.

In light of the development for social housing with established lower levels of car ownership, the parking provision was considered to be acceptable.

The application has been recommended for approval by officers who said in their original report to the August committee that the proposal would provide 41 affordable units which would address an identified need within the Hirwaun area.

Visual aesthetics

They said that while the development would inevitably result in the loss of an employment site, it has been vacant for at least 10 years and its redevelopment would improve the visual aesthetics of the site and the surrounding area.

They said it is considered the site is capable of accommodating 41 homes as proposed without resulting in a significant impact upon the character and appearance of the surrounding area or the amenity and privacy of the surrounding properties.

Officers also felt the proposed development would have no undue impact upon highway safety in the vicinity of the site with the scheme including a number of improvements to Meadow Lane.

There were originally five objections to the application raising concerns about access and highway safety, traffic and noise and disturbance. The report said a further three letters of objection had been received since the original report was written.