Latest phase of major new housing development approved

Anthony Lewis – Local democracy reporter

The latest phase of a major new housing development in south Wales which includes plans for nearly 550 homes has been approved.

It’s part of the Llanilid development approved in 2010 which overall includes plans for 1,850 homes in Rhondda Cynon Taf, a new primary school and a new town centre.

It’s being developed in several stages and this latest reserved matters application, approved by RCT planning committee on Thursday, October 23, relates to stages 5-8 with plans for 543 homes and associated infrastructure.

The 543 units proposed will include a mix of housing types from one or two-bedroom apartments to terraced, semi and detached two, three, four or five-bedroom houses.

Dwellings

Phase 5A, the northern part of phase five, will include 80 units in total – 56 four-bedroom and 24 five-bedroom dwellings – and all would be offered for sale on the open market.

Phase 5B, the southern part of phase five, includes 99 units in total with four  one-bed , 39 two-bedroom, 39 three-bedroom , and 17 four-bedroom homes with 80 of the units offered for sale on the open market and 19 to be affordable units of accommodation.

Phase six includes 150 units made up of four one-bedroom homes, 51 two-bedroom properties, 67 three-bedroom dwellings, and 28 four-bedroom homes and 124 of these would be for sale on the open market and 26 to be affordable units of accommodation.

Phase seven includes 82 units in total made up of 29 two-bedroom dwellings, 39 three-bedroom homes, and 14 four-bedroom houses with 63 units offered for sale on the open market and 19 to be affordable units of accommodation.

Access

Phase eight features 132 homes – four one-bedroom offerings, 47 two-bedroom dwellings, 57 three-bedroom homes, and 24  four-bedroom houses with 108 units offered for sale on the open market and 24 to be affordable units of accommodation.

Vehicle access will be from the A473 to the north, the part existing and part
proposed highway to the south and from the existing phase two area via Enterprise Way to the east.

The report said that green habitat corridors surround the plot along its boundaries and the proposals included keeping and enhancing hedgerows and tree lines within the development site.

The report said that the scheme had been amended three times since submission – to bring the proposed house types in-line with the developer’s current range, to overcome initial highway concerns and to overcome concerns regarding the affordable housing mix, but all these issues had now been resolved.

There was one public letter of objection which raised concerns about the impact on biodiversity, potential flood risk, the lack of infrastructure, amenities and affordable housing in the area, traffic congestion, the loss of amenity space and claimed large developers worked on the basis of profit and greed.

In recommending approval, planning officers said the principle of developing this site for residential purposes along with the associated primary school and town centre was accepted by the council in the granting of the original hybrid planning permission in January, 2016.

They said: “The proposed scheme will deliver 543 modern, high-quality new homes, including 20% affordable provision, in an area of high demand.

“The development would have no undue impact to the character and appearance of the area, the amenities of neighbouring residents, or highway safety in the vicinity.

“Further, through considerable discussion and negotiation, acceptable ecology
mitigation/enhancement measures have been agreed.

“The application therefore complies with the relevant local and national planning policies and is considered acceptable.”