Decision on 40-home estate delayed amid affordable housing talks

Plans for 40 new homes in south Wales are temporarily on hold while council planners iron out details of affordable housing.

Developer Llanmoor is seeking full planning permission for a mixture of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses on fields south of Bedwellty Road, Aberbargoed.

It also plans to build a temporary access road to the development site which would be returned to grassland after three years.

Case officer Helen Winsall told Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee the homes are proposed for a “sloping site” which will require “quite a number of retaining walls and engineering operations”.

If built, the houses will be similar in appearance to existing homes nearby, she added.

Ms Winsall explained there was no requirement for affordable homes to be provided at the site if the developer could argue there was no “viability” for them.

But the council hoped to secure a deal for 10% affordable housing, she said, adding that talks between the council and the applicant were ongoing.

Cllr Shane Williams said he hoped to see affordable homes included at the site.

“I think some of us are always frustrated when we see developments of this kind, on land like this, and there’s no affordable housing – or maybe no need for affordable housing,” he said.

“I welcome the fact that there’s going to be greater scrutiny of that.”

The committee agreed to defer a decision on the development until those talks conclude, and to then grant officers deferred powers to issue a final decision on the homes.

A linked application for the temporary access road was approved.