Resubmitted Caldicot scheme approved

Controversial plans for 130 houses in Caldicot have been approved for a second time after councillors were originally presented with incorrect data.

Monmouthshire council’s decision to approve the Church Farm scheme was supported by data from the council’s local development plan (LDP) which pointed to housing delivery shortfalls.

Councillors were told the authority would be 961 houses short when the true number was 504. It also said the authority was 337 affordable homes behind its target when the real figure was 38.

The Church Farm scheme, which proposes 35 per cent affordable housing and a new park off Church Road, remains unchanged from the one presented to members last year.

But Richard Rice, speaking on behalf of an ‘overwhelming’ number of objecting Caldicot residents, questioned the council’s ‘major error’.

“This was something not picked up by the council or the developer but identified by a member of the public,” said Mr Rice.

“The evidence relied upon to justify it originally has changed. Why should we now rely on any information put forward?”

Mr Rice said the scheme still had no consideration for ‘overstretched’ infrastructure and the Nedern Brook wetland, a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).

Similar concerns were raised by Councillor Jo Watkins, who expressed ‘grave’ concerns about road safety on Church Road, while Councillor Louise Brown criticised the council for having a ‘short-sighted’ vision of infrastructure.

But Roger Hepher, of HGH Consulting, said such points had been made ‘many times’ in the 10 months since the application was submitted.

“These have all been thoroughly assessed by your officers and they concluded on balance that [the scheme] should be recommended for approval,” he said.

“[Monmouthshire] still has serious deficiencies in terms of five-year land supply and, more importantly, the economic and social needs of the county are unchanged.”

Councillor Jim Higginson said Caldicot ‘desperately’ needed affordable housing and told the meeting objections had been raised when estates near the proposed site had been built in recent years.

“Every time a development has been proposed [in the area] there’s always been a protest,” added Cllr Higginson.

“In fact, the people living in some of those houses were protested about years ago.”