More than 50 acres of land across five council-owned sites could be sold to make way for up to 455 new homes.
Cabinet members of Caerphilly County Borough Council will meet on Wednesday to consider the sale of the former sites of Oakdale and Pontllanfraith comprehensive schools, the former site of Pontllanfraith House, the former Ty Darren care home in Risca, and the Bedwellty School playing fields in Aberbargoed.
A report due to be discussed says there are “relatively few barriers” to redevelopment at each of the sites as the council aims to increase the number of affordable homes within the county borough.
The authority had hoped to build 964 affordable homes between 2006 to 2021 but only 251 have been built as of April 2017.
An overall house building target of 8,625 units was also targeted but only half – 4,523 – have been completed during the same period.
The two Pontllanfraith sites could be transformed into a ‘garden village’ development similar to the Loftus estate in Newport.
The report says: “The model could include equal proportions of social rented, shared ownership and market sale dwellings and there is potential for the social housing element to be delivered as council housing.
“The benefits of this approach include giving the authority more influence on the development, delivering a development which is more in tune with the needs of the local community and ensuring the homes would be designed to the Welsh Government Design Quality Standard.”
Affordable homes target
The council estimate that the 19-acre Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School site could hold up to 165 dwellings with a target of 25% affordable homes.
Demolition of the school building is currently on hold pending a decision on the future of Pontllanfraith leisure centre.
Up to 120 homes, with 25% affordable units, could be built at the Pontllanfraith House site.
If proposals at Ty Darren come to fruition it would be the first major housing development in Risca since the care home closed in 2010.
The council has already earmarked the site for sheltered accommodation for ageing residents as part of a remodelling of its older persons accommodation.
But if the site is put on the market for general housing, the council are hoping for 20 homes with 10% being affordable homes.
Around 100 homes could be built at the ten-acre Oakdale Comprehensive site, with the council aiming to secure 25% affordable housing – despite the site’s “challenging” topography.
The report suggests that 50 homes could be built on Bedwellty School playing fields and the council wants 15% of them to affordable, subject to negotiations with prospective buyers Llanmoor Developments