Plans for huge 850-home development given the go-ahead

Lewis Smith, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for a major development of up to 850 homes, a primary school and new public open space have been approved despite objections over traffic and pressure on local services.

The Parc Llangewydd development will be built on a greenfield site west of Bridgend, between Bryntirion and the village of Laleston, after Bridgend County Borough Council approved the plans by nine votes to four.

The hybrid planning application from Llanmoor Homes covers land on the northern side of the A473 and will include homes ranging from one-bedroom flats to two, three and four-bedroom properties.

Twenty per cent of the homes are set to be classed as affordable.

The development will also include a new primary school, public open space and new vehicle, pedestrian and cycle access.

Councillors Jon-Paul Blundell and Colin Davies objected to the application, raising concerns about the scale and density of the development and its potential impact on existing communities.

In a letter of objection, they said: “While the need for housing is real, and the inclusion of affordable housing, a school, and open space in the proposal are steps in the right direction, the scale, location, and existing resource constraints make the proposed development, in its current form, problematic.

“Granting permission without strong conditions will likely lead to adverse outcomes for both new and existing residents in terms of traffic, environmental degradation, overburdened services, and loss of local character.”

A further 28 objections were submitted by residents, with concerns including the loss of green space, increased traffic, road safety and additional pressure on GP surgeries, dentists and hospitals.

Council planning officers recommended approval, saying the scheme had been subject to “rigorous design reviews” and that the authority’s highways department had raised no objection.

On concerns about pressure on health services, officers said the new Sunnyside Wellness Village development in Bridgend would have sufficient capacity to accommodate the development.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board also raised no objection to the plans.

Officers noted that the land had been specifically allocated for housing in the council’s Local Development Plan.

Following a debate, councillors approved the application by nine votes to four.

Full planning permission has been granted for the first phase, comprising 377 homes together with internal estate roads and public open space, while outline permission covers the remainder of the development.

The decision follows the approval in July of a separate development of 122 homes in Bridgend’s Llynfi Valley.

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