Work begins on major housing development

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

Work has got underway on a major new housing estate – seven years after planning permission was first granted.

Approval for the redevelopment of the former Gwent County Hall site in Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran was first agreed in 2019 but legal wrangling left the planning permission in “limbo” resulting in the plans for 143 homes having to be approved for a second time the following year.

The site was sold by former owners Torfaen Borough and Monmouthshire County Council in 2018 for £2.9 million after the former offices had closed and were demolished in 2013.

In 2017 the two councils had accepted a joint bid by a developer and a local housing association for the site after two previous attempts to sell it fell through, having originally gone on the market for more than £5m in 2015.

The original legal agreement would have ensured 30 per cent of the 143 properties would be affordable housing.

Under the latest agreed plans 58 homes will be affordable, for both social rent and below market rate, with a further 50 available on a shared ownership basis and 35 for sale on the open market.

The site is now being developed by not-for-profit Codi group, which describes itself as Wales’ largest provider of housing, care and support services, and was formed following the merger of the Linc Cymru and Pobl housing associations in 2024.

It has awarded a contract to house builder Lovell to construct the 143 homes forming the £35.6 million development, supported by both Torfaen Borough Council and the Welsh Government, with initial works having started in June.

When the Section 106 legal agreement that formed part of the August 2019 approval couldn’t be completed Torfaen planning officers described the permission as “in limbo” by early 2020.

It had been unable to complete the legal agreement due to issues over affordable housing and the closure of then developer Kier Living’s Cardiff office and a restructure of the firm meant talks had come to a halt in February that year.

The application had to go back to Torfaen’s planning committee in May 2020 when permission was granted for a second time with a condition the legal agreement was signed before construction started.

Sarah Hodges, development manager for Codi, said: “This development is a fantastic opportunity to bring new homes to a part of Cwmbran where demand is high, and where families want to stay connected to local schools and services.”

The affordable housing will include 36 apartments, 14 homes for social rent and eight homes for intermediate rent, which is described as “sub-open market rent” and “typically set” between open market rent and social rent levels.

Shared ownership

The 50 shared ownership homes are based on a purchaser buying a share of the property via a shared ownership lease and paying rent for the remaining share of the property to Codi. The purchaser has the right to increase the percentage of the property they own at any time up to 100 per cent.

“We’ll be delivering 58 affordable homes that will make a real difference locally, and both Torfaen County Borough Council and Welsh Government’s support has been crucial in helping us bring this forward,” said Ms Hodges.

Solar panels and air source heat pumps will be installed on the social rented homes and a large, pre-existing bat house will be renovated to enhance the site’s biodiversity with the development located within a woodland area, with transport links and easy access to local amenities, including two schools and a hospital.

Construction work is expected to be completed in early 2029, with the first open market sale homes expected to be available in spring 2027.

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