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Changes should be made to the planning system to give communities more power, a Senedd Member has argued.

Speaking in the Senedd last week, South Wales East MS Delyth Jewell called for communities to be given “the power to make decisions that affect them without fears of being overruled by Cardiff.”

The Plaid Cymru MS highlighted the 2017 planning application to build 260 homes in Hendredenny, Caerphilly – which was rejected at the time with fierce opposition, but overturned by the Welsh Government.

Speaking to Climate Change Minister Julie James in the chamber, Ms Jewell said: “The application was opposed by residents, ward representatives, the local MS [Hefin David] and MP [Wayne David], yet the Welsh Government overruled the local consensus.”

She continued: “In the decision letter, the Minister at the time [Lesley Griffiths MS] recommended a condition that the plan should include strategic drainage features and a scheme for disposal of service water and land drainage flows, placing responsibility for approving the plans on the council.  

“But six years later, we have Natural Resources Wales investigating reports of water run-off polluting a local resident’s land, with fears this may have also affected a nearby river, Nant yr Aber. 

“In addition, fears about traffic chaos have been realised, and concerns about the ability of local services to cater for hundreds of new residents continue.” 

In response, Ms James said she understood the “frustrations” raised by Ms Jewell and said efforts were being made to ensure local communities are engaged at an early stage when it comes to the creation of Local Development Plans.

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, who also represents South Wales East for Plaid Cymru, echoed Ms Jewell’s call and said: “We have seen numerous planning applications refused by local authorities after staunch local opposition only for them to be granted later on appeal by Welsh Government. 

“This leads to anger, bewilderment and a loss of faith in the democratic process.”

Mr Owen Griffiths described it as “not a healthy situation” and called for the Welsh Government to “seriously consider ways in which communities can be empowered to oppose planning applications, especially those that they know will be detrimental in the long run due to their superior local knowledge.”

Plaid Cymru councillor Steve Skivens, who represents the Penyrheol ward – where the new Hendredenny development is – said it was “one of many problem sites” in the borough and said there is a “pattern emerging”.

Cllr Skivens described the situation as a “failure of democracy in our area”.