Plans to Build Houses on Former School Site near Abertillery to be Decided by Councillors

PLANS to build houses on the site of a former school near Abertillery will be decided by councillors.
At a meeting of the Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday, March 7 councillors will receive a report on a planning application by Simon Cleary.
Mr Cleary has submitted an outline planning application to build nine houses at Celtic Rose,  at Aberbeeg near Abertillery
The site is above Commercial Road to the west and is set below the level of the highway and the houses of Brynawel Terrace to the east.
A number of objections against the proposal have been made and, as it is seen as one of “wider public interest,” the application is in front of the Planning Committee.
Outline planning application are made to settle the principle of allowing a development to go ahead or not.
If councillors agree the proposal a further detailed planning application would need to be lodged and approved by the council before any building work can take place.
Planning officer Helen Hinton said: “This application seeks permission for the redevelopment of land known as Celtic Rose, the site of the former Ty’r Graig Junior and Infant School site in Aberbeeg.
“Following a review of the proposal and discussion with the council’s
highway engineers, concerns were raised as to whether an access, compliant
with current highway standards could be achieved to serve the proposal.”
Ms Hinton explains the proposal would now provide a 14 metre wide junction at the site, leading to Brynawel Terrace.
Ms Hinton said that alterations to the existing retaining walls, a new retaining wall on the northern side of the junction together with providing a pavement that would link with the existing pathway along the hill and Commercial Road would all be needed as part of the scheme.
Ms Hinton says that the plan shows the site can accommodate nine units with enough room for adequate access, car parking and amenity space.
Also a historic planning permission for 10 units at the site dating from 2014.
The report explains that objections to the proposal include road safety concerns especially when potentially 27 residents cars and other associated traffic would travelling to and from the site.
Objectors also believe the increase in traffic would “cause congestion.”
Ms Hinton said: “Whilst it is appreciated that the development will cause disruption for existing residents it is considered that the highway network has sufficient capacity to accommodate the number of vehicles generated by the development.”
“In conclusion the development will deliver nine dwellings on a brownfield, windfall site which will assist in delivering the housing target under the Local Development Plan and also make an affordable housing contribution.”
She recommends that councillors grant planning permission for the proposal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​