Homes plan rejected over ‘prison’ fears
A DEVELOPMENT of 41 affordable homes in Bridgend has been turned down over fears it would create a “prison” environment for residents.
The plans, submitted by Hafod Housing Association and Jehu, involve a section of land next to Wyndham Close and the Brackla Industrial Estate.
It includes 13 one-bed flats, 18 two-bed houses, nine three-bed houses and a four-bed house.
However, due to the site being next to the industrial estate, noise mitigation measures would have seen the homes built behind acoustic fences up to 2.5m high and all windows sealed to the outside world. Council officers recommended the plans be turned down, saying the measures would create a “prison” environment that should not be supported.
In a report which went before councillors sitting on Bridgend County Borough Council’s development control committee on Thursday, September 12, they said: “The site is so closely related to noise sources both from road traffic and nearby businesses that the level of mitigation required would create living spaces that could not offer an acceptable environment for the future residents.”
Councillor John Spanswick said he would love to see 41 affordable homes built but not on the proposed piece of land.
He said: “I would welcome this application if it was somewhere else.
“People living in social housing should have the same quality and standard of housing as anyone else. Living in sealed boxes is not the way forward.”
Twenty-five employers and employees of businesses on the industrial estate signed a petition objecting to the development, saying the land was reserved as a “green wedge” in the adopted Bridgend Local Development Plan to avoid conflict between the residents of the Brackla housing estate and the industrial estate.
They said removing its green wedge protection would put 300 jobs at risk on the industrial estate.
Hafod Housing Association said its application was prepared and submitted on the back of the local authority’s positive pre-application response and it was disappointed the council had now done a U-turn.
It also said the development would provide much-needed affordable housing for residents against a shortfall in land supply.
Council officers said while similar soundproofing measures had been used on nearby housing developments, the situation where all habitable room windows would be sealed was difficult to support.
They told councillors work was well under way on the preparation of the new Local Development Plan, which would consider further the supply of housing land.