A HOUSING development in a Valleys village has been approved despite concerns over traffic, parking and road safety.
An application for four houses on land next to 36 Hylton Terrace in Bedlinog was approved by Merthyr Tydfil Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, October 9.
The planning report said the houses could be constructed as a terrace and access could be gained from the highway of Hylton Terrace.
But there were six letters of objection raising issues such as congestion, particularly as a result of school traffic including buses, there is an existing issue with parking, the highway is narrow which could obstruct access for pedestrians and buses, and the proposal would make it more dangerous for children walking to and accessing the school and pre-school.
Objectors also said the design of the homes wasn’t in keeping with the existing style of houses in the area and would look out of place.
They also raised concerns over the impact on wildlife and biodiversity, that there was no consultation with the local community, the impact on air quality from the development and noise from construction works.
Councillor Michelle Symonds requested the application be reported to committee to consider the concerns of local residents.
Responding to the concerns raised in the public consultation, officers said in their report that it was acknowledged the highway adjacent to the site was narrow with only a modest footpath on one side, which was located directly along the frontage of the site.
They said the proposal would only introduce four new houses to the area which would each be served by on-site parking.
They recognised the presence of driveways would reduce the amount of on-street parking available but this would not amount to a significant loss of space and the driveways would limit parking along the carriageway, making it easier for cars to pass this section of the road without obstruction.
They said it was not considered that the proposal would present a danger to those children walking to and from the school and pre-school.
The officers added that while there might be some additional highway disruption from construction vehicles, it was a modest development and the inconvenience would only be for a limited period of time.
The report said the local planning authority shared some concerns with respect to the indicative design provided and how this would represent a sympathetic addition within the street but said the details submitted illustrated a possible design and were not definitive.
They said it was considered the site could be appropriately developed with houses that would complement the character of the area and not be visually harmful.
They said there would inevitably be some noise from construction works but this would be for a limited period of time.
A green infrastructure statement, site assessment survey and a bat and tree survey report had been done and the council’s ecologist had not raised any objection to the development subject to conditions which will ensure the mitigation, compensation and enhancement measures are implemented and a net benefit for biodiversity is achieved, the report said.
But at the meeting Councillor Gillian Preston, who is a committee member and also represents Bedlinog and Trelewis, said the traffic outside the school was horrendous and there was nowhere for anybody to park.
She said it was very dangerous as it was and there was no pavement from Commercial Street to the school and that she just didn’t know how they were going to be able to build it.
