Plans for 53 new homes and nine apartments approved next to school

Ted Peskett Local Democracy Reporter

Dozens of new homes will be built on land next to a Cardiff school despite concerns the area lacks community facilities.

Cardiff Council’s planning committee approved plans for 53 new homes and nine supported living apartments on land west of St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School at a meeting on Thursday, December 12.

It is hoped the new homes, described as affordable dwellings in a planning report, will go some way to easing the demand for housing in Cardiff.

Residents and a local councillor noted this and welcomed the scheme, but added they would like to see it include a community centre.

Petition

A petition in opposition to the plans in their current form was signed by 109 people.

Speaking as a representative of Llanedeyrn Community Action Group, Zahed Khan said: “We have drug dealing and drug use, we have minority groups feeling unsafe, a lack of community cohesion, no youth engagement, we have educational gaps and we also have mobility issues.”

He added: “We need to establish a community and welfare centre within the heart of Llanedeyrn as well.”

Cardiff Council ward member for Pentwyn, Cllr Joe Carter, echoed Mr Khan’s calls for a community centre in Llanedeyrn.

Cllr Carter said the development will bring “much-needed social housing”, but added: “The challenge we have is we keep building more and more housing without the community infrastructure around it.”

A number of councillors and planning officials pointed out at the meeting that the planning committee cannot redesign schemes on behalf of applicants and a decision could only be made on the plans that were in front of them.

The planning report on the housing scheme also states a financial contribution will be sought from the developers, which will go towards enhancing community facilities in the area.

“Content”

Head of planning at the council, Simon Gilbert, said there are occasions where applications are deferred for officers to engage with developers over certain matters where changes are necessary.

However, he added: “In this instance, we have consulted the relevant service areas and they are content with the policy requirements for community facilities.”

The council planning report states a kickabout area will be incorporated into the development, but notes “it is small”.

It adds a multi-use games area which is already part of the land will be retained, but the artificial pitch will be lost.

An application for a new 3G pitch on the school playing fields to the south of the school is expected to be submitted in early 2025.