Councillors to rule on housing schemes and business park plans

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

Decisions are due on dozens of new homes and the expansion of a business park across a Welsh county borough this week.

The council’s planning committee will hear proposals for 40 new houses on fields south of Bedwellty Road, Aberbargoed in Caerphilly.

A combination of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes have been earmarked for the site, under detailed plans put forward by developer Llanmoor.

Planning officers have recommended a decision be deferred for “further discussions on whether affordable housing can be provided on the site”.

If those talks prove productive and a 10% affordable housing allocation can be secured, the officers have proposed the committee allow planning permission to go ahead, subject to conditions.

Meanwhile in Penallta, there are proposals for 33 new apartments and a retail unit on land next to a former colliery site off Winding Wheel Lane.

Applicant Bluefield Land Ltd plans to build the mixture of one- and two-bedroom apartments across three blocks.

All of the new homes would be classed as affordable, according to a council planning report.

A retail unit – potentially a supermarket – would also be built on the site.

Similarly to the Aberbargoed case, council planners have recommended a decision be granted, subject to conditions, at a later date if the local authority can strike a deal for 25% affordable housing at the site.

In Nelson, Cyncoed Properties (Cardiff) Ltd has set out proposals for 28 “small business units” at the Ty Du Business Park.

The units, if built, would be for general business or storage and distribution uses, according to a council planning report.

Planning officers said a storage use would fall outside the original planning permission for the business park, but accept the construction of smaller units at Ty Du – where demand for space has been lower than envisaged – would provide a “desirable” flexibility of uses.

The council planners have recommended the application be granted.

Councillors will meet on Wednesday February 11 to discuss the three projects.