A planning appeal to build 175 homes on a golf course will not be contested by Caerphilly County Borough Council.
Persimmon Homes originally had its application to build the development on land at Oakdale Golf Club turned down by councillors back in March this year.
But the house builder decided to appeal the decision and members sitting on the council’s planning committee agreed with officers not to contest it – meaning the development looks likely to go ahead, although the Planning Inspectorate will now have the final say.
The original application was rejected by councillors on the grounds the local authority was consulting on a new Local Development Plan, which acts as a guide on where developments can take place.
However, the draft plan has been withdrawn following forceful opposition from residents and campaign groups unhappy at the number of potential new homes earmarked for the county borough.
The withdrawal of the draft LDP has led to Persimmon arguing the original reason for turning down the application no longer exists.
A report by planning officers, considered at a meeting on Wednesday, November 9, outlined why the council should not contest the appeal.
It read: “The reason for refusal cannot now carry the weight that it was given at the time the planning decision was taken. The reason was based on the opportunity the LDP review would give the public to comment on new housing allocations. That opportunity does not now exist. As a result of this material change in circumstance the Planning Authority cannot support the reason for refusal.
“It would be unreasonable to pursue the reason for refusal and in order to minimise the council’s exposure to costs the Planning Inspectorate and the appellants should be advised as soon as possible that the Local Planning Authority will not be defending this reason for refusal.”
However, Penmaen councillor Roy Saralis has alleged that planning officers did not follow the correct procedure in coming to their conclusion by including references to the decreasing amount of land available for new housing developments to meet future needs.
At the meeting he said: “This is new information and not relative to the decision that was given for refusal. I am of the opinion that this comment in the report has compromised or corrupted this report and the whole report should be withdrawn.”
Speaking after councillors voted by a majority to not contest the appeal, Cllr Saralis said: “I feel very strongly for the community I represent.
“Oakdale is quite a rare, established village. If it is lost as a result of overdevelopment it would be very sad.
“There is no need for this development in Oakdale where we have had ten to 12 new housing developments over the last ten years. The size of the village has risen from 600 houses to 2,000 houses.
“It is important to maintain the village and not let it be overdeveloped.”
Cllr Saralis added that funding from UK Government and the Welsh Government was needed to make it more attractive for developers to build housing on brownfield, or former industrial, sites rather than green fields.