COUNCIL officers have granted planning permission for a controversial housing proposal in Caerphilly that drew the ire of some in the local community.
Cllr Greg Ead led opposition to the plans for a new house, on land off Golwg Y Coed, amid claims the site had been used for dumping waste.
The “narrow strip of land” in question had been subjected to “unauthorised importing of a massive tonnage of building waste” including soil, rubble and ceramics, he alleged to Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee.
There was also concern a drainage pond dug on the land was linked to a nearby river, he added.
“What assurance has been given that this pond does not pollute the Nant yr Aber?” he asked the committee. “What is its purpose? We have never been told.”
The council received 17 representations from neighbours during a recent public consultation on the proposed new home, many of which focused on similar environmental matters.
But planning agent Abi Hawke, speaking on behalf of the applicant, told the council committee local objections were not shared by organisations such as Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales, nor the council’s own officers.
The planned home would have “no unacceptable impact on the amenity and privacy of existing residents”, and there was “no technical reason why this site should not be considered suitable for residential development”, Ms Hawke said.
“A lot of these concerns” from residents “do not relate to this application site”, she contended, describing the proposal as “robust” and a “more efficient and effective use of an under-utilised parcel of land”.
A majority of committee members backed the plans, which are subject to several conditions, including that a scheme “to deal with the contamination of the site” is submitted to the council before building work begins.
That scheme must include ground investigation and risk assessment to study the extent of any contamination and measures taken to avoid any risks, the committee decided.
