Thousands of houses
THE preferred locations of new schools, homes and employment areas in Bridgend have been published as the council continues work on the county’s replacement local development plan (LDP).
Bridgend Council has said around 7,500 homes will need to be built in the county over the coming years to meet the predicted housing demand.
The council is basing its replacement LDP on an estimated residential growth of 505 homes per year and employment growth of 266 jobs per year.
It says the development will encourage a more youthful, skilled population base to counterbalance the ageing population, resulting in an overall population increase of 8.4% or 12,151 people over the plan period.
The council has now published its preferred strategy for the future, with development focused around Bridgend, Pencoed, Porthcawl, Pyle, Maesteg and the Llynfi Valley.
Planning officers have previously said that because sites for 4,500 homes have already been identified under the current LDP, the new LDP would only need to determine sites for 3,000 new homes.
However the preferred strategy shows scope that far exceeds that requirement.
Officers have said the areas of growth will be subject to “significant refinement” to ultimately identify specific sites within the deposit plan.
A public consultation on the plans opened on Monday and runs until November 8.
The Replacement Bridgend LDP sets out the local authority’s objectives for the development and use of land in the county up to 2033.
Here we look at the preferred strategy in more detail. Pont Rhyd-y-Cyff
A 50-acre site on land south of Pont Rhydy-Cyff is proposed for a mixed-use development comprising residential, commercial, leisure and employment. In total there are four sites which are clustered around Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd.
The site could deliver 500 new homes, with the development potentially being serviced by the Llynfi Biomass Power Station around 2km away.
Much of the site is currently greenfield land, while the south-east of the site was previously a petrol filling station.
Maesteg Washery
A 33-acre site which is within walking distance of Maesteg town centre is proposed for residential development and/or provision of a new school. It is anticipated that 135 homes could be accommodated on the site.
The site has come forward as the result of a previous reclamation scheme and earth-modelling works.
Former Cooper Standard site, Ewenny Road, Maesteg
Former Cooper Standard Automotive factory buildings were cleared from the 20-acre site following closure in 2008. It currently consists of a large flat area of concrete hardstanding.
The site is being promoted for mixeduse development comprising residential, employment and retail. It is anticipated that 135-150 homes could be accommodated on the site.
The site is currently allocated for a mixed-use scheme in the existing LDP, with outline planning consent having been previously granted for 138 homes, a pub, restaurants, retail and employment space.
However officers said consent has not been issued due to the failure to complete a Section 106 Agreement.
Historic mineshafts have been identified in two locations of the site, with officers saying they will form a constraint to development in those areas of the site. Waterfront Regeneration Site
The 130-acre site is being promoted as a residential-led mixed-use development, with planning officers saying it could hold up to 1,350 houses with associated facilities. It is envisaged that the site will be developed in two phases.
The first phase involves a new supermarket, housing, remodelling of Hillsboro Place car park, coastal flood defence works and a leisure site.
Meanwhile, the second phase at Sandy Bay will be primarily residential and is dependent on completion of the coastal defence works along the Eastern Promenade.
A new school could be built next to Newton Primary School or the existing school could be expanded. Island Farm
A 133-acre site, comprising a mix of arable farmland, grazing land, and tree and scrub land, is proposed for housing, leisure and commercial use.
The site is located 1.5km to the southwest of Bridgend town centre.
Proposals involve allocating the land for 1,000 new houses, two new schools and an indoor tennis centre with associated outdoor court as well as an office development and access improvements.
A new special education needs school could be built to allow Heronsbridge School to relocate to the site and leave its current campus, on the edge of the town centre, available for an alternative use.
The site includes Hut 9, a German prisoner of war camp which is Grade II listed.
Parc Afon Ewenni
This is a 45-acre site which currently includes the police training centre and the council’s Waterton highways depot.
The police centre is home to various South Wales Police facilities including a dog section, firearms unit, mounted section and various sports pitches and facilities.
The two sites are joined by a parcel of land that has outline consent – granted in March 2018 – for a residential-led mixeduse development of up to 240 homes and 1,100 sq m of retail/business/community use.
The entire site is allocated within the