Affordable Housing Scheme in Abergavenny Should Proceed Despite Ongoing Sewerage Dispute, Council Planners Say

AN affordable housing scheme that has been held up for more than five years should go ahead, council planners say despite a continuing sewerage dispute. 
When the application was last considered in November a resident told councillors how “every time it rains” her toilet bowl overflows and she has to use a bucket. 
Even though councillors are being recommended to approve the development no final decision will be made until the Welsh Government has considered a request for it to “call in” the application and take the decision itself. 
The plan for 20 homes was first approved in March 2020 subject to addressing flooding concerns but when it came back to councillors last November Welsh Water hadn’t objected.
Councillors however highlighted complaints from residents and the local community council over continued flooding and the capacity of the sewerage network. 
As a result the council’s head of planning Andrew Jones suggested deferring the application, which had been recommended for approval, to verify with Welsh Water foul sewerage arrangements for the proposed development would not exacerbate existing issues in the area. 
As a result of those talks Welsh Water has maintained its position and isn’t objecting to the application for new homes on land at Wern Gifford in Pandy near Abergavenny. 
As a result council planners will advise the planning committee, which will consider the application at its Monday, September 7 meeting, there is no reason to withhold permission.  
A report by planning officer Kate Bingham states: “On balance, it is considered that there are no reasonable grounds on which to withhold the granting of planning permission having regard to the relevant statutory consultee’s (Welsh Water) advice that the proposed new development would not exacerbate the existing reported problems regarding the public sewerage system within the vicinity of the site.” 
Her report also sets out the conflicting positions of Welsh Water and the Crucorney Community Council and local residents who have objected to the application. 
Welsh Water said its network manager and engineer confirmed the sewer is designed to only receive foul flows but becomes overwhelmed during “significant storm events” with a nearby culverted watercourse and open watercourse running into the sewer network. 
“Without the impact of this additional flow finding its way into the network, it would have adequate capacity to accommodate the foul flows from the proposed development,” said Welsh Water which suggested any potential on natural drainage should be considered by the county council as the lead flood authority. 
Crucorney Community Council has insisted the private water company is aware surface water from existing homes already enters the sewer and disputed it only occurs from watercourses and during significant storms. 
The council said it aware residents are still coping with water entering their homes and one even has a macerator to grind solid wate into a slurry. 
The council said: “During days of ‘normal’ heavy rain and when the water courses are running fine, water is still coming through toilets and showers. One resident has even added a macerator on the ground floor of their property to alleviate such a problem.” 
The council had paid for a dye test it said proves that both surface water and sewage enters the same pipe directly from existing homes in Pandy and Llanvihangel Crucorney and called for evidence from Welsh Water the sewer has capacity to cope with foul flows from existing homes. 
It said Welsh Water has failed to respond to the evidence it has provided the company. 
When the committee considered the application in November Wern Gifford resident Catherine Ward told councillors: “Every time there is heavy rain I’m on alert waiting for the toilet to fill with sewage that comes right up to the brim and when it floods over into the bathroom I have to clear it up and have to use a bucket.”   
The planning committee will meet at County Hall in Usk at 2pm on Monday, September 7.  ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​