PLANS for a new estate of ‘eco-homes’ have been approved at the third time of asking despite the concerns of councillors.
Planning committee members unanimously approved the recommendation to approve the 24 houses, including two blocks of two and one-bedroom flats, after being told maintaining previous objections around traffic through an existing housing estate, the sustainability of the site on a steep hillside and drainage and flooding could be considered “unreasonable behaviour”.
Planning officer Justin Jones said the issues had been considered by an independent planning inspector when the application for the site, in a field beside Ty Canol Way in Fairwater, Cwmbran was taken to appeal last year.
Mr Jones told Torfaen Borough Council’s planning committee: “If members want to disagree that is your right as decision makers, but when it goes back to appeal it will meet the test of ‘unreasonable behaviour’ as the matters have already been looked at by the inspector who found them to be acceptable.”
Reform UK councillor for Llantarnam Alan Slade, who said he was surprised the site could be considered “sustainable” due to the sloping site, its distance at the edge of existing development and infrequent bus services, said: “We don’t seem to have a lot of choice.”
The committee had refused a previous application in 2022. A revised scheme, for 25 houses, was put forward in 2023 which went to appeal in April last year as the council hadn’t decided the application in time. Councillors however had endorsed four reasons for refusal, drawn up by the planning department, when they considered the plans in February 2025.
Despite the inspector dismissing most of the council’s reasons for refusals she still rejected the application due to the impact of the development on Tyr Y Wen Barn and Tyr Y Wen Farmhouse, which are both grade-II listed.
Listed buildings
The listed buildings are on the far side of the site, from the proposed access through the existing Rosemead estate, and the application considered by the inspector proposed building two four-bedroom detached houses east of the listed barn. One has since been removed from the plan and another relocated.
Labour’s Karl Gauden, asked if the access through the turning head on Rosemead was acceptable: “Has that been considered and the loss of parking spaces and increased traffic through their residential area?”
However, the councillor for Llanfrechfa and Ponthir said he didn’t believe the sloping site to be an issue: “I’m from the Rhymney Valley originally and can assure you Wales is full of mountains and sometimes we have to build properties on gradients.”
Planning officer Mr Jones said there was no objection from the highways department but said Welsh Water had raised concern about water pressure. As a result, the council has put in place a condition no development takes place until it is shown acceptable water pressure to the properties, and existing adjoining properties, is achievable.
A further condition also requires work to start within two years, rather than the standard five, so the viability of the site can be assessed with the possibility a requirement for the developer to a make a contribution towards affordable housing and maintaining a public open space could be reassessed.
At present, Mr Jones, said the council isn’t requiring the contributions as on current cost assumptions, the development wouldn’t be considered viable if the payments had to be made.