Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters
From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.
Become a member today
New community football pitches will be built next to a major housing development on the outskirts of Newport, under a deal between the builder and city council.
More than 300 homes have so far been occupied at the Cot Hill development, next to Llanwern, where there are plans for a total of 1,100 properties.
As part of the deal for the land, the developer agreed to provide new leisure space next to the homes, including two new pitches and changing rooms.
A new allotment site will also be opened, to replace the plots lost to the wider development.
At a meeting of the city council’s planning committee, on Wednesday August 5, case officer Geraint Roberts said the new leisure area was expected to be completed by 2030.
He told members the changing rooms are “functional, practical and perfectly attractive in context”, and would be maintained – along with the sports pitches – by a developer-appointed management company.
The council will take over the management of the new allotments, he added.
The committee heard there had been some local concerns about access to the site and the availability of parking spaces.
Peter Bannatyne, the development director for Cot Hill builders Barratt Redrow Homes, said the firm had updated the plans in response to those concerns, and doubled the proposed parking spaces from 20 to 40.
Mr Roberts said council planners were “confident the site can be appropriately accessed and enjoyed by residents and – indeed – by the wider community”.
Committee members were supportive of the plans, including Cllr Will Routley, who called the application “a fantastic opportunity to make sports work and to embrace the community there”.
Cllr Matthew Pimm added his own support for the project, but said he hoped in time the sports offer would be further developed for wider community use.
Cllr Jason Jordan urged colleagues to add further conditions to the planning application, guaranteeing electric vehicle charging points at the car park, and the addition of a lockable gate to prevent unauthorised access.
The committee agreed, and granted planning permission subject to conditions.