Plans for 125 homes on the site of former council offices in Pontllanfraith have been lodged with Caerphilly County Borough Council.
The ‘flagship’ Chartist Gardens scheme, a collaboration between the council and housing association Pobl, is planned to include 83 affordable homes and ease increasing pressure on the housing waiting list.
Proposals also include moving a stone plinth in honour of the former MP, Sir Harold Finch, which prompted a petition against the development.
A spokesman for the council said it is “still seeking to reach an amicable agreement with the family about the future placement of the memorial stone within the site.”
A mixture of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroomed flats and houses are proposed on the former Pontllanfraith House site, with 42 social rented homes, 41 at low cost ownership, and 42 for market sale.
Apartments built around an existing grade-II listed war memorial will form the centrepiece of the scheme.
“The grade II listed war memorial will be retained and celebrated, located on a tree-lined street and overlooked by Alms-house style cottages,” a design and access statement says.
The vision of the scheme is to create “a vibrant, welcoming and connected garden community built in the ‘arts and craft’ style,” it is said.
Concerns were raised about moving the plinth, along with objections to building near to the memorial park.
But the council says building will not take place on the nearby Harold Finch Memorial Park, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The council’s ruling cabinet gave its backing to the scheme in the autumn, saying it would help the 4,500 people waiting for homes on the housing waiting list.
Under the plans all of the homes will have driveways with pre-installed cabling for electric vehicle charging.
There will also be green open spaces and links to the nearby country park.
The development is based on the ‘garden village’ concept, with enhanced landscaping, similar to the Loftus Garden Village scheme in Newport.
The plans will be considered by the council’s planning committee in the coming months.