100 new houses on former Llantwit Fardre laboratory site could soon be given go ahead

THE building of nearly 100 houses on a former laboratory site in Llantwit Fardre could soon be given final approval by councillors.

The application for 95 houses on the former Clariant site on Llantrisant Road has already got outline approval but will go before Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s planning committee on Thursday, February 25 for reserved matters such as appearance landscaping, layout and scale to be approved.

The site covers over three hectares south-east of Llantrisant Road and used to be occupied by Clariant laboratories (and Nipa laboratories before that).

The buildings associated with that have been demolished and all associated plant removed because of the reclamation of the site that was undertaken for licensing reasons, the planning report said.

More reclamation work of the site is now underway under the terms of the previously approved outline planning permission which will further improve the site to a developable standard.

There were five letters of objection sent to the council relating to the application which raised concerns that the area does not have the infrastructure to cope with another new housing site.

They also said that the roads are congested, residents already struggle to get a doctor’s appointment and that schools are full.

The letters also said that the established businesses on the adjacent Newtown Industrial Estate are noise generators and they are concerned that the introduction of residential properties backing on to the estate will adversely impact their activities.

The letters added that the transport proposals for the site are inadequate lacking active travel provision as submitted and the details should make provision for connection to the public right of way to the south east of the site and the community route beyond.

They suggest a formal cycle and walking access on to Coed Dowlais, new raised zebra crossings and bus stops and a separate cycle way across the site entrance.

They also said pedestrian access from the site to Church Village is far superior to that to Llantwit Fardre and asked if the access is acceptable in such proximity to the light controlled junction.

They expressed concern that the development will lead to more traffic using the Coed Dowlais estate roads to access the M4 and A470 and traffic calming measures should be applied to this route to discourage the indiscriminate use
of a well-used school route.

And they said that contamination needs to be dealt with before the site is redeveloped.

Planning officers in recommending approval said:

“The principle of the proposed development has been established through the earlier grant of outline planning permission and the details submitted under cover of this submission are considered acceptable in planning terms.”

They added that:

“The application is continuing to comply with the relevant policies of the Local Development Plan in respect of the residential development of a brownfield site within settlement limits.

“Furthermore, the applicants have been able to demonstrate the proposals are acceptable in terms of impact on the highway network and that the proposed internal arrangements are acceptable in highway terms.

“The layout and general arrangement of the site are acceptable in terms of impact on the character and appearance of the area and the arrangement is acceptable within itself in terms of promoting and maintaining acceptable standards of amenity and privacy about new dwellings.”

The Community Infrastructure Levy for this development is expected to be £1.08m but social housing relief may be claimed on the social housing element of it.