More homes pledged for north of county borough in next decade

More homes will be built in northern areas of Caerphilly County Borough under the council’s next masterplan for development.

The council is preparing to launch a final round of public consultation on its new Local Development Plan (LDP), an overarching blueprint setting out where and how new homes and industries should be built over the next decade.

An original plan for a major development site in Maesycwmmer was dropped after the previous Welsh Government questioned its road links, and the council instead pivoted towards building homes around existing towns.

The council’s leader, Cllr Jamie Pritchard, said the previous LDP had brought considerable development to the ‘Caerphilly basin’ in the south of the borough, but the replacement plan would involve a “shift” in focus northwards.

These will include “tier one” sites prioritising homes in Bargoed, Gilfach and Rhymney as part of a strategic shift ensuring “pound for pound, there’s more allocation of housing going north”, he added.

Cllr Carl Cuss, whose Twyn Carno ward covers the very north of the county borough, said it was “obviously positive to see a recognition that development is needed” there, but urged the council to make sure new homes were a mixed tenure.

Pursuing developments of wholly social housing is “not good to bring prosperity to the north of the borough – there need to be opportunities for people to buy”, he added.

Nelson ward councillor Sean Morgan suggested the new plans could prioritise public transport links, and Cllr Marina Chacon-Dawson – from the Cefn Fforest and Pengam ward – sought assurances key infrastructure would be built before any new homes.

“All allocations have been assessed against infrastructure considerations and the plan has only included sites considered capable of being delivered,” said Cllr Phillipa Leonard, the cabinet member for planning.

“The authority will have the appropriate powers to ensure essential infrastructure is provided at the appropriate time to facilitate development.”

But Cllr Anthony Cook, from Hengoed, warned some parts of the borough already faced “restricted” public transport access, which could disproportionately affect older residents.

Several opposition councillors criticised the delays to the replacement LDP, which is supposed to cover developments between 2020 and 2035, but is likely to only come into force in 2028.

And Cllr Kevin Etheridge, from Blackwood, said he was concerned the draft plan for more than 6,000 homes includes proposals to build on several greenfield sites of undeveloped land.

“Is there any way we can look at brownfield sites?” he asked.

Planning officer Lisa James said the council would prioritise redeveloping sites “where possible” but “ultimately we don’t have enough brownfield sites to provide for our housing need – so we have to look at a mix of brownfield and sustainable greenfield sites”.

The final public consultation on the draft LDP is expected to run from October 28 until December 9.