Plans for more than 100 new houses in Merthyr Tydfil have been approved despite public opposition. The Persimmon Homes application for 121 houses on land off Elm Tree Grove in Twynyrodyn was given the go-ahead by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, October 19.
A site visit took place before a committee meeting on August 24, with the decision deferred for technical reports to be reviewed. The council received 41 letters of objection to the plans, as well as a petition with 345 names.
The proposed residential development will be made up of 121 houses, of which 12 will be affordable and will include one to five-bedroom detached, semi-detached and terraced properties together with associated engineering, access and landscaping works. The initial proposal was for 131 houses but this has been reduced to 121.
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Each plot will have at least two parking spaces on driveways and some will include a detached garage. Near the existing playground in the northern part of the site, an area of open green space will be created with climbing boulders, balancing logs and grassed mounds.
In the southern part of the site, there will be a large multi-functional area of open green space, which will form part of a sustainable drainage scheme for the development. A route for pedestrians and cyclists will be provided along the main highway in the western part of the site. Trees and hedgerows will be planted and rain gardens will also be placed alongside most of the highway.
The majority of the existing vegetation along the western part of the site will be lost as a result of the development but a large section of the woodland area in the eastern part of the site will be retained, together with the vegetation in the southern part of the site adjacent to the trails. Other residential developments in and around the town centre include 70 homes approved for the former St Tydfil’s hospital site on Upper Thomas Street.
The concerns raised in the objections included traffic congestion, air pollution, the capacity of local schools to accommodate additional children, loss of green space and potential flooding.
In recommending approval, officers said: “The development would make a significant contribution towards the provision of new homes within a sustainable location, which includes the provision of affordable housing. The development has been appropriately designed to integrate with the surrounding area and minimise any potential amenity impacts. A variety of house types and sizes would be provided that add interest to the development and help to meet a range of housing needs."
The reaction from the developer
Persimmon managing director for east Wales, Lee Woodfine said: “This is fantastic news, and I want to thank Merthyr Tydfil Council and Persimmon’s land and planning team at Llantrisant who’ve worked tirelessly to deliver a scheme that will benefit local people and communities in Merthyr. The development will provide a range of homes designed for local people, especially young families and first-time buyers, who otherwise might struggle to get onto the housing ladder.
“The scheme will also deliver significant community benefit for local people in Merthyr including new jobs, road and active travel infrastructure, sustainable drainage and open green space. Persimmon is very proud of our roots in the south Wales Valleys, and we are committed to building the best value homes in sustainable and inclusive communities such as Twynyrodyn, which will contribute to Merthyr’s wider economic regeneration and prosperity.”
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