A pupil referral unit is set to be extended, but not until a traffic plan is approved.

The extension of the Learning Centre in Glan y Nant, near Pengam, was approved by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, October 13.

The plans will see a new single-storey classroom built at the Learning Centre, as well as a walkway connecting the classroom to the main building.

But construction will not begin until a traffic management assessment is submitted to and approved by the council’s planning department.

The unit is for children from across the county borough who aren’t able to attend a mainstream school because they need greater care and support.

However, concerns were raised over a potential increase in traffic as a result of the extension, which would see an increase in parents picking up and dropping off their children. The application received 16 letters of objection from residents.

Speaking in the planning committee meeting, Councillor Carmen Bezzina, who represents the St Cattwg ward where the unit is located, called for the application to be deferred while traffic issues were investigated.

Cllr Bezzina said: “We regularly receive complaints from residents in the village, they have no space to park outside their homes.”

Councillor John Taylor, a planning committee member, said: “We are in danger of using this planning application to sort general problems of traffic in that area.”

Planning officer Carwyn Powell said a traffic survey would not be necessary to this application.

Cllr John Ridgewell said: “We are not casually dismissing concerns of residents, but we have limitations.”

Council officers have included an additional recommendation for a staff travel plan to be submitted.