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A councillor has launched a blistering attack on housing developers Redrow over its controversial De Clare Gardens development in Hendredenny, Caerphilly.

Penyhreol, Trecenydd and Energlyn ward councillor Lindsay Whittle said residents are facing a “continuing nightmare” due to disruption caused by troubled sewerage work.

Four-way traffic lights placed at the top on Hendredenny Drive since February, have frustrated residents, while there are also concerns pollution from the building site has seeped into the nearby Nant yr Aber river – sparking an investigation by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

The development, which will see around 260 new homes on the estate, began last year.

The plans were originally rejected by councillors in 2016, but in 2017 it was overturned by Senedd Member Lesley Griffiths, who was at the time was the Welsh Government’s Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs.

This was despite fierce opposition against the development from residents and local ward councillors, as well as Caerphilly’s Senedd Member Hefin David and Member of Parliament Wayne David.

It was overturned because the council does not have an up-to-date Local Development Plan, and Welsh Government policy at the time gave weight to Redrow’s appeal because of this.

Detailed plans for the development were then narrowly backed by the council’s planning committee in 2019, with eight councillors voting in favour and six against.

At the time, Planning Committee member Cllr John Ridgewell asked the council’s planning services manager, Tim Stephens, what would happen if councillors were to reject the plans.

Mr Stephens replied: “The applicants would appeal and we would not stand a hope in hell.”

Cllr Whittle, a former council leader and ex-Plaid Cymru Senedd Member, said: “Residents have had to put up with four-way traffic lights on Hendredenny Drive since February, which has led to incredible delays and inconvenience.

“It really is ‘The Nightmare on Hendredenny Drive’.”

Cllr Whittle said Redrow had been unable to connect the drains and sewers for the development and added: “Even with diamond drill bits they’ve failed to get through the solid rock. I would have thought they had checked the rock formation before deciding to develop this site?”

He continued: “They have this problem connecting sewage and water facilities at the top of Hendredenny Drive where there is a street of only five homes. What happens when they get down to Chester Court, where there are 30 homes?”

He described the situation as an “unmitigated disaster”.

He also expressed concern at the timeframe to which Redrow are working at, describing it as “pathetically slow”.

Cllr Whittle said the development could take between five and seven years to complete.
“People are so frustrated. Years and years of this is unacceptable”.

Meanwhile, NRW is investigating “several reports” of pollution in the Nant y Aber river and its tributaries in Hendredenny.

Kirsty Lewis, Senior Environment Officer for NRW, said: “We’ve since identified the source of the pollution and have taken the appropriate enforcement action.

“If anyone sees any further signs of pollution in the area, they should report it to our incident hotline on 0300 065 3000 or using our online incident form.”

Cllr Whittle told Caerphilly Observer that hay bales had been placed in the river to stop pollutants spreading.

A council spokesman said: “The council is aware of the frustration within the community and we are receiving regular updates from the developer about progress at the site. Unfortunately the sewerage works associated with the development are experiencing unforeseen complications, which is causing the current delay.

“Local authorities have limited powers to intervene in such matters, but we have applied a financial penalty and we continue to press the contractors to complete the works as quickly as possible to reduce disruption to the surrounding community.”

Cllr Whittle said the council had told him that Redrow were given a six-week extension to complete the sewerage works, but after missing that extension, have now been handed a £250 daily penalty until the work is complete.

“This work may take another six weeks, which means another six weeks of hell on earth for local people,” said Cllr Whittle.

A spokesperson for Redrow said: “We have been in regular communication with local residents and are keeping them updated on timescales as best we can whilst continuing to work closely with our specialist drilling contractors to complete these complex works as quickly as possible, in line with our planning consent and the advice received from the regulatory bodies.”