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Plans have been lodged to demolish farm buildings at Nant y Calch Farm, Caerphilly, and redevelop the site for 44 affordable homes.

Documents submitted on behalf of Harmoni Homes – a brand of housing association United Welsh – show proposals for a mix of one-bed flats, two-bed terraces and three detached four-bed houses, all for social rent.

The 1.6-hectare site, off Warren Drive, would also include a new access road, landscaped open space and drainage works.

Planning documents on the website of consultancy firm Geraint John Planning Ltd, which is acting on behalf of Harmoni, state the scheme has been designed to meet Welsh Government energy standards, with homes built to EPC-A rating, incorporating solar panels and air source heat pumps. A tree buffer is planned along the southern boundary, close to ancient woodland, and a drainage basin would form part of a “sustainable urban drainage system”.

But the scheme has sparked opposition from local environmentalists, who say the land is one of Caerphilly’s most important wildlife sites. Campaigners from Caerphilly Woodland Trust and Caerphilly Eco Hub claim surveys have identified nine species of bat at the farm, including the rare greater horseshoe bat and barbastelle.

They warn that development would amount to “ecological vandalism” and want the land protected for use as a community nature reserve. They also claim a development on the land would increase the risk of localised flooding, if it went ahead, and that brownfield sites should be prioritised for development.

In campaign material circulated locally, they also accuse landowner Plymouth Estates of seeking to cash in on a potential £1m sale, and criticise what they describe as a lack of transparency over the site’s selection for housing.

Harmoni Homes, however, argue that the project will help meet pressing local need. Planning consultants say the scheme would deliver 100% affordable housing, exceeding the 40% target in Caerphilly’s Local Development Plan, and is well located for walking access to schools, shops and the town’s rail and bus stations.

Caerphilly County Borough Council is the planning authority which will decide the application, but is not the developer.

According to a pre-application notice near the site, people have until October 23 to voice their opinions to consultations@gjplanning.co.uk or via Geraint John Planning Ltd, Office 16 (House 1, 2nd Floor), The Maltings, East Tyndall Street, Cardiff, CF24 5EA. Representations can also be submitted online at gjplanning.co.uk.

These will form part of the application process in due course.

• The Save Nany y Calch Farm campaign has organised a public meeting at 6.30pm on Saturday October 11, at the Twyn Community Centre in Caerphilly where residents, councillors and prospective Senedd by-election candidates are invited to discuss the plans.