MAPS showing where more than 1,500 new homes could be built in Monmouthshire over the next 10 years have been released.
The county council’s consultation on its future planning blueprint – which will guide where new housing and employment sites across the county could be located – will close at the end of the month.
People are invited to comment on the level of development envisaged with a potential for 2,200 new homes to be built by 2033 with 50 per cent of those affordable and 68 per cent available for social rent.
The council has identified three preferred sites for new housing, where 1,570 of those homes could be built through to 2033 – and at two sites an extra 670 after that. The remainder would be on smaller sites, judged as potentially suitable for development, across the county other than in the Brecon Beacons National Park or in the Monmouth area, where there is a block on new developments to prevent phosphate pollution of the river Wye.
The largest of the preferred sites for new housing is on the edge of Portskewett village which the council has also called Caldicot East. It could accommodate 925 new homes over the 10 year period.
The others are on the western edge of Chepstow, just four miles from Portskewett, and east of Abergavenny on the opposite side of the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road where it heads north.
The Abergavenny site has been earmarked for 500 homes during the life of the plan and is considered to have the potential for a further 135 after 2033.
Currently agricultural fields the site is listed as suitable for mixed use development which could also be employment, retail, leisure, education or community uses.
The map shows how part of the site will be within a 15 minute walk, or five minute cycle ride of Abergavenny town centre, and that a person using a scooter could make the journey in just eight minutes.
The furthest parts of the site are an estimated 22.5 minute walk from the centre of town, a 12 minute scoot or just seven and a half minutes by bike.
In Chepstow 145 houses are earmarked during the plan period for agricultural land at Bayfield, north of the A48 and next to the A466 St Lawrence Lane. The site is also bordered by Bishop’s Barnets Wood and the B4235.
It is close to the A48 Highbeech roundabout where there are longstanding complaints about congestion.
According to the map the site is just outside of a 15 minute walk from Chepstow town centre. All of the site will be within a 22.5 minute walk, a 12 minute scooter ride or seven and a half minute cycle ride.
The largest preferred site includes the redevelopment of the David Broome Equestrian Event Centre named after the Olympic showjumping medalist, north of Portskewett. If development is to go ahead the centre, which includes the existing showgrounds, would relocate.
The site borders Caldicot Country Park to the south and runs alongside the B4245 to the M48 at its western border and the A48 to the north.
As well as being listed for a potential 925 homes during the life of the plan it’s thought an extra 535 could be built after 2033 and is also listed for mixed use development for employment, retail and leisure.
The southern part of the site is within 15 minutes walk of Caldicot town centre, while the existing David Broome centre is within a 22.5 minute walk with much of the northern parts of the site outside of the walking radius.
Monmouthshire council, which has been holding events to explain the proposals, has said concerns raised about infrastructure – ranging from the capacity of schools and health services to transport – will be addressed as it works through the process of compiling the plan.
Detailed documents addressing the key issues will be produced while the council’s leadership also says it remains committed to supporting road improvements to alleviate traffic pressures around Chepstow.
The full council will consider the comments from the consultation this spring before a further draft plan is published in April or May which will be subject to another public consultation. The plan could then be submitted to the Welsh Government for approval in October.
