Noise and traffic concerns fail to stop plans for two new homes

Two new homes can be built in Brynawel, in Wattsville, despite concerns about existing traffic concerns and noise from a nearby road.

Developer Cappri Holdings Ltd plans to build the new homes on a wedge of land between Duffryn Road and Llanarth Street, which is currently a grassy bank.

The firm had a previous bid for three homes rejected over concerns the land had “significant visual amenity value” and would involve the loss of three mature trees.

At a meeting to decide the new application, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee heard the land was “steeply sloping and leads to a busy road”, meaning it has “limited” recreational value.

Building homes on the revised plot of land would have a “minor” visual impact on people living nearby, but “little or no” wider effect on the character of the area, case officer Joshua Burrows added.

However, local resident Marnie Cantello said the homes were proposed for a junction which is “already a bottleneck” for traffic moving along the only road into and out of Brynawel.

She alleged it would be “unconscionable” to build new homes along a “hazardous” route affected by high levels of traffic and where several incidents had occurred.

Noting 30 objections had been lodged against the application, she said the opposition was “not a case of nimbyism” because another development in Brynawel had been supported.

Cllr Jan Jones, who represents the Ynysddu ward, also spoke against the application, telling the committee “not enough attention has been given to the wellbeing of future residents”.

She said building homes next to a busy road with HGV traffic would require “significant” soundproofing, and asked for more noise assessments before a decision was made.

She said the necessary level of soundproofing “must be achieved without sacrificing amenity in terms of requiring that bedroom windows must be closed”.

Planning agent Steve Groucott, from Skerryvore Designs, said noise questions were “valid” but had been addressed by planning officers before the committee meeting.

He said the recommendation to approve planning permission included a condition requiring window noise controls before the homes were occupied.

Mr Groucott added the revised plans “maintained most of the amenity space” around the development site.

Committee member Cllr Nigel Dix asked how the council would ensure pollution and noise levels from the road were “not above what they should be”.

He said the council had demolished a row of houses “at great expense because of pollution, and now we’re building houses just as near” to a road.

Pollution officer Ceri Davies said the council constantly monitors pollution levels around Wattsville, which passes air quality checks, unlike the previous situation in Hafodyrynys Road, near Crumlin.

She said the developer had to provide a ‘glazing scheme’ to show “how they are going to comply with the World Health Organisation community guidelines for noise”.

Ms Davies said the council wouldn’t check the windows, but senior planning officer Carwyn Powell added environmental health officers would inspect any windows if a neighbour or future resident complained the planning conditions had not been met.

A majority of committee members voted to grant planning permission, subject to conditions.