400 sign up against fields homes plan as it increases by more than 40

RESIDENTS have voiced anger after it was claimed the amount of homes proposed on a greenfield site in Caerphilly county borough has increased by more than 40.

Contentious plans for a development on fields in Cwmgelli, Blackwood, were approved on appeal after initially being refused by Caerphilly council in 2015.

A planning statement for the outline application, submitted by Gwent Investments Ltd, said the development “will provide a maximum of 120 new dwellings”.

But developers Taylor Wimpey have now submitted a reserved matters application proposing to build 164 houses on the site. They claim the outline application “did not specify a limit on the number of homes” which could be built.

Terrence Watkins, of Cwmgelli Villas in Blackwood, said residents feel angry. He said: “It’s the only green belt left between Blackwood, Cefn Fforest and Argoed. Once that is built on it’s all one place. It’s a pretty place to live, and that’s why we appealed last time because there was protected wildlife, a pond and protected trees.”

There were plenty of brownfield sites available to build on, he said.

A petition against the latest plans has been signed by about 400 people. The reserved matters application proposes 123 private homes – 72 four-bedroom, 41 three-bedroom and 10 twobedroom houses, while the 41 social housing properties include 12 one-bedroom, 14 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom homes.

Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge said there are reported to be “significant drainage problems”, which could be made worse by the amount of homes proposed. “I do not think there has been proper consultation with elected members or residents,” he said. “The residents are furious up there, absolutely furious.”

Fellow ward councillor Nigel Dix said: “I believe it was a case of land banking on the LDP, as I said during the appeal process, and I have been proved right because it was approved five years ago.”

A Taylor Wimpey spokeswoman said: “Our reserved matters planning application for land at Cwmgelli Farm is based on the outline planning application.

“Whilst the outline planning application did not specify a limit on the number of homes that could be built on the site, our reserved matters proposals are in line with local and national planning policies and based on local housing needs.”

Caerphilly council said there were “no restrictions on the number of units proposed at outline stage”. The reserved matters application would be considered on its planning merits and the acceptability of the number and density of units would be fully considered as part of the consideration of the application.