Planning chiefs approve massive new Swansea development

Richard Youle, local democracy reporter

A whole new neighbourhood is coming to Swansea after planning chiefs gave the go-ahead for 471 homes.

They are the first two phases of what could become a much larger development of up to 1,950 houses and flats in the north of the city.

The council’s planning committee voted in favour of the 471 homes – ranging from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses – by seven votes to two.

Developer Llanmoor Homes had already gained outline permission for the 1,950 units on land north of Mynydd Newydd Road and west of Swansea Road and Llangyfelach Road.

The new planning consent also includes a spine street running diagonally through the site from Mynydd Newydd Road to Swansea Road.

A planning officer told the committee that the application in front of it, which included 71 affordable homes, two parks, play areas, trees, a bus stop and cycling and walking routes, had been improved as part of discussions between the department and the developer.

Llanmoor Homes, he said, had “refreshed” its design of the eight different property types, which will have a mix of cast stone, brick and render exterior, resulting in a more contemporary feel. All the flats will have their own balcony.

“It is all about creating a new neighbourhood,” he said.

School and shops

A primary school and shops are to be built at future phases of the development, which will be called Pentref Rhostir.

The officer said the spine street would not be a bypass, but the committee heard that it is expected to absorb traffic heading from Mynydd Newydd Road up towards junction 46 of the M4.

Committee members questioned the difference between a spine street and bypass while Llangyfelach councillor Mark Tribe wanted to know if a traffic impact survey had been carried out, given how busy he said the surrounding road network was at peak times.

Cllr Peter Black – one of the two who voted against the application – repeatedly asked what road impacts the development would have on Brynhyfryd Square, Pentregethin Road and the Cwmbwrla roundabout to the south.

Bottlenecks

“There needs to be some provision for those bottleneck points,” he said.

Cllr Black was advised these spots had been identified at the outline planning stage, as well as ways of addressing them via a £385,000 contribution by Llanmoor Homes as part of a legal agreement between it and the council.

The developer will also contribute just over £1 million for early years bus provision at Pentref Rhostir.

A council highways officer said these contributions, plus the new cycling and walking routes, would offset the extra traffic created by the new estate.

The site where Pentref Rhostir will be built is the largest one allocated for housing in Swansea’s local development plan.

Speaking after the meeting, a Llanmoor Homes spokeswoman said: “As a Welsh family-run SME, we are proud to be delivering the largest residential scheme ever seen in Swansea and are fully aware of our responsibility to deliver a new wave of much-needed quality homes in the area.”

She said the company had worked closely with the council’s planning department over the past two years in order to ensure that Pentref Rhostir would provide a variety of well-designed homes and a wealth of new facilities.

“This development will have a huge emphasis on providing public space too for the well-being of both current and future generations,” she said.