Residents have voiced their opposition to plans to build up to 300 homes on greenfield land.
More than 150 people have signed petitions against Persimmon Homes’ proposed development on land off Beaumaris Way in Grove Park, near Cefn Fforest.
The developer wants to build a range of two, three and four-bedroom houses on the 9.72-hectare site, with a new access road built from Heol Pit-Y-Ceiliogod and Beaumaris Way.
A planning report says that 75 houses will be affordable, with public open space and play areas also proposed.
But residents in Cefn Fforest say the new estate could have a negative impact on the community’s road, with some calling for a full feasibility study to assess the potential impact.
Members of the planning committee visited the site on Monday and were met by around 30 protesters including residents and local councillors.
The planning committee is due to meet tonight, Wednesday, October 10, and is expected to delay a decision to allow Persimmon Homes to accept a condition where it had to pay £220,000 towards a residents’ travel scheme to encourage less car use.
The proposed development lies outside of the local settlement area.
As such, Blackwood independent councillor Nigel Dix said the council’s planning committee could refuse it if it wanted to. This was especially so in light of the suspension of the TAN 1 planning policy by Welsh Government, which had favoured developers who had appealed rejected plans.
He said: “It is clear that this council want to railroad this controversial application through, without proper scrutiny.
“Their actions display a total contempt for elected members and residents. The public have lost all faith in the way this council operates.
“The protection of our green spaces is vital to all residents. The proposed application is outside the settlement and not designated for housing. If this application is approved it will open the flood gates for greenfield developments across Caerphilly County Borough.”
Fellow independent Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge said: “I really despair having submitted petitions, and believe this will cause environmental damage and traffic gridlock to the area.
“It seems the voices of the people and my residents may count for nothing in this respect. Do they really want to turn our green and pleasant valleys into an urban sprawl?”