Plans for 22 houses near Aberdare look set for approval

A plan for more than 20 houses near Aberdare looks set to get final approval from councillors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The application for 22 houses on land off the B4275 in Aberaman is going before Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s planning committee on Thursday, June 8, for reserved matters such as the layout, scale, and appearance of the buildings and access and landscaping to be considered. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The planning report said three of the houses will meet the 10% affordable housing requirement set out in the Section 106 agreement associated with the outline planning permission already given in December 2019. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Access to the site will be provided through improving the existing site access on the northern boundary of the site with a road extending southwards into the site towards a private drive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report said an estate link road provides access to the cross-valley link road that meets the B4275 and A4059. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report also said that the application site is 1.29 hectares of relatively flat land which sits between the recently-built Davies Homes development, Farm Road, and the industrial estate. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The planning report said there was one objection, claiming to represent the views of a number of residents, which raises procedural issues and concerns over contamination of the land as well as planning matters such as that the site would not be suitable for residential development, is a home to rare and protected species, and has been used for grazing for many years along with highways concerns around the additional traffic that could be generated. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Planning officers have recommended approval saying: “The principle of the proposed development has been established by the grant of outline planning permission.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They added that “the details submitted are compliant with the parameters set out in that permission and are otherwise acceptable in terms of planning policy and all other material considerations”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They concluded: “Access to the site along with the car parking proposed is considered acceptably by the Highway Authority. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The design of the proposed houses is typical of more recent housing development in the area and would read as an addition to what already exists. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The impact of the proposals on established residential property will alter their outlook in some cases but in planning terms are considered acceptable.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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