Residents who want to have their say on a controversial planning blueprint for Caerphilly County Borough have been given extra time to get their views across.
A consultation period on Caerphilly Council’s Deposit Replacement Local Development Plan (LDP) had been due to close on Wednesday, March 23, but the deadline has now been extended until Friday, April 22.
The extension has been granted after part of the draft LDP was found to be missing from the council’s website.
A spokeswoman for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “Given the importance of this document, it is felt important that residents should have more time to comment on the Deposit Replacement LDP and associated documents.”
Views gathered during the consultation will be fed into an inspector’s report into the LDP, with the potential to change it.
Since councillors agreed the first draft last month, residents and politicians have voiced their anger and frustrations at the planning document, which sets out how the county borough could be developed up to 2031.
If given final approval, the document could pave the way for thousands of new homes – many of which could be built on green space.
One aspect of local anger is the possibility that around 685 homes could be built on the site of the former Ness Tar Plant and the surrounding area of Nant y Calch Farm near Caerphilly town.
Proposals for a by-pass from Van Road on to Caerphilly Mountain have also been met with opposition.
Plaid Cymru’s South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle, who is standing for election as Caerphilly’s AM in May, has been pointing the blame finger for the plans at the Labour-run council in a series of online videos posted on social media.
Speaking at the party’s recent spring conference in Llanelli, Mr Whittle said: “In Caerphilly if these new housing developments go ahead – our roads, our schools and our doctor’s surgeries won’t be able to cope with this additional burden.
“These homes will not cater for local people but will merely act as overspill for Cardiff, Bristol and other British cities. It’s not my job as a Welsh politician to cater for housing demands in British cities. It’s my job to fight for my area.”
However, Labour politicians are keen to stress their own opposition to the LDP and that their colleagues had little option but to vote for its first draft.
Cllr Hefin David, Labour’s Caerphilly candidate for the Welsh Assembly, has made it clear that he is against key aspects of the LDP.
He said: “I will be submitting my own very clear objections to the greenfield sites included in the plan. But I will be adding the equally important point that LDPs are not fit for purpose.
They are developed by 22 councils with 22 different strategies.
“I believe we only need one strategy for all of South East Wales. Only then can we reduce pressure to build and stop putting councils in impossible positions to meet demand. I want a strategic solution to this issue and I urge all political parties to work with me.”
Caerphilly MP Wayne David echoed Cllr David’s thoughts and has called on all parties opposed to the LDP to “link-up to protect the countryside”.
Other major areas of contention in the LDP include plans to build 1,800 homes in Maesycwmmer, as well as a new by-pass to relieve pressure on the A472, 600 new homes at Gwern y Domen in Rudry, 600 in Nelson, as well as many others.
Concerned residents have also contacted Caerphilly Observer over a perceived lack of consultation with the LDP.
Rhys Waters, of Pentwynmawr, near Newbridge, emailed us to express his surprise that an area of woodland off the A472 had been earmarked for around 170 new homes.
He said: “My neighbour discovered a single poster on the main road to Newbridge displaying the proposed application. Me and my family were shocked and disappointed as the woodland is loved by many local people for its dog walking and nature.
We moved here three years ago and the woods next to the property were the main reason we fell in love with our home. Our four-year-old son is devastated by it after overhearing us discuss the plans. Every summer we hatch butterflies with him and release them into the woods, also we do an easter egg hunt there. He’s really upset that they might disappear.”
He added: “We do not want to stand in the way of progress and developing houses for the demand in the area, but there are ample undeveloped brownfield sites yet to be built on.
“Surely losing a rare and beautiful community asset like this, should a be a last resort rather than an action taken just because they can?”
• To register a comment or to view all the LDP documents online, visit www.caerphilly.gov.uk/ldp or submit a letter in writing to The LDP Team, Strategic and Development Plans, Communities Directorate, Penallta House, Ystrad Mynach, CF82 7PG.
Residents wanting their questions on the LDP answered can call 01495 235 376 or email ldp@caerphilly.gov.uk.
What I find amazing where this article states (Labour politicians are keen to stress their own opposition to the LDP and that their colleagues had little option but to vote for its first draft). Why did these idiots in power HAVE to vote to support it. I thought we lived in a democracy, not a dictatorship. Did they not have the guts to vote how the majority of people want, and who are against it. If these places are lost, they will be gone forever. These People in Power vote for it because it makes them look good to the outside world with no regard, or respect for the local people and their wishes, who put them in power in the first place.
As usual decisions are made without any thought for the impacts of these developments, such as traffic, schools, doctors, dentists etc ect made by people who probably do not live in Caerphilly area, and probably do not even know where the developments are. The only reason developers want to develop greenfield sites is because its cheaper to develop than brownfield sites.
where the Gwern y Domen land in Rudry is under threat, if I had the financial resources they I would try and buy this land, then hand it over to the people of Caerphilly, so everyone could enjoy it.
that’s my girl in the photo and in no way making any complaint, proud as punch as her father. The only issue is she has an identical twin (who was also there) and because we know what the other one is like we’ve had to blag it using Facebook Again no complaint, Thank you for singling out my girl but more importantly I think it could well turn out that the residents might get their way as CCBC have made a few slip ups on this one and they have have a bit of form in with this type of stuff.
The complaints about lack of consultation , if it is indeed the case, then it lays at the feet of Officers of the Council, including the Chief Executive.
Councillors do not organise such processes, but now they know of the public concern about it it is their responsibility to ensure matters are corrected, it maybe the Cabinet Member with responsibility for such matters will deal with it? , but he does not have a good track record of `dealing` with his officers unilateral actions on planning matters, it may be a confidence thing who knows, but deal with it he will have to.
With regard to the LDP proposals and the `Council Vote` passing through this first phase, It should not be forgotten that Councillor Hefin David proposed an alternative to acceptance of the compilation of a, Council by Council LDP, but alternatively suggesting these forward plans should be on a Regional Basis, reducing duplication of major infrustructure requirments, and giving a regional perspective of a `areas` planning needs, reducing the overall pressure on each Council to narrowly second guess the planning needs of `The Region` and each Council`s contribution to those needs.
The current narrow LDP considerations of planning need are speculative and a complete waste of ratepayers money complying with a process imposed on them by the Welsh Assembly. In turn, The Welsh Assembly should reconsider their expansion plans on a regional basis and not on a County by County basis..
The people of Caerphilly County are not stupid so treat them with more respect.
The only disrespect for the sense and sensability of the people of Caerphilly comes from those second rate political commentators who twist the truth, but do so because of their personal political inabilty to `keep up` with whats happening in the Borough, so, I suppose we have to excuse you, it is`nt your fault that you do not have the experience or mentality to comprehend grown up politics, but we have come to expect that from Nasty Political Party supporters. Bless,
The fact that large house building companies are refusing to build on land in certain parts of the borough indicates to me that my Council is being blackmailed/forced into offering them green fields. That is not responsible governance of our countryside.
House builders, as you know, build houses for profit. you will also know that once that point is accepted house builders want to construct and provide homes in areas where they can maximise on the profit motive.
It is the fault of all political parties that there has been no meaningful narrative on this `once very five years` scramble for land to build on in the borough, it is the entire policy which is wrong, the policy of demands placed on each local authority in Wales by Planners in the Welsh Office.
All poltical parties on Caerphilly Council should learn to talk to one another on issues like this before it becomes a political football match, the losers are those communities which are chosen to have developments imposed upon them, have their community infrustructure and support networks attacked by an over burdon on those communities, Doctors Surgeries, schools, even more potential gridlock of local roads, and a reductuion in open spaces.
It is necessery, and the time has come, for Caerphilly Council to come up with an on going commitment ( whichever party stewardships the borough) to engage with communities and their respective elected representatives on a regular on going basis, and evolve an on going narrative with everyone, and NOT JUST `crash` unacceptable proposals on commenties once every five years.
The Labour group should have sent it back to the planners, instead they played politics by telling their candidate in the May election to vote against whilst the rest of Labour voted to support the LDP . Why did they tell the candidate to vote against? Because they knew they were going against the wishes of the people of Caerphilly County and there would be controversy, so why have Labour sided with the planners and developers AGAINST the people?
If you are genuinly AGAINST the current, under consultation, LDP why dont you support the postion taken by Hefin David? The Labour Candidate in the Assembly Election who is ALSO AGAINST IT. Why are you wasting your time worrying about the position in respect to Hefin David`s position and why and how he came to vote AGAINST IT, Surely, if you were genuinly AGAINST the Published Plan you would stick to the facts of that?.
What`s the betting that the labour group see the error of their ways early May??
Caerphilly Labour Group should be thoroughly ashamed of their selves and don’t deserve any support whatsoever.
Cynical telling their candidate not to support the LDP like his cronies so he is out on a limb. The told him not to support it for a reason because they knew it was wrong.
If you are genuinly AGAINST the current, under consultation, LDP why
dont you support the postion taken by Hefin David? The Labour Candidate in the Assembly Election who is ALSO AGAINST IT.
Why would you waste your time worrying about the actions in respct to Hefin David`s position and why and how he came to vote AGAINST IT agreeing with you.
Surely, if you were genuinly AGAINST the Published Plan you would stick to the facts of that?. and preserve your credability as a person genuinly AGAINST the Plan as is Hefin David.