Planners say city homes scheme should be refused (From Gazette Series)

Planners say city homes scheme should be refused

By David Deans »

A BID to build a further 36 homes at a major Newport redevelopment project is recommended for refusal by planners.

Taylor Wimpey have applied for permission for 36 two-bedroom flats as part of the part-built City Vizion development, off Rodney Road.

The company has already won permission for 486 homes at the site granted by Newport Council's Planning committee, but the latest application has been recommended by the city council’s officers to be turned down by the committee.

The site is located adjacent to the Newport Bus depot, the playing field of the Maindee Primary School and existing three and four story flats already built as part of City Vizion.

According to a report to be discussed by planning committee, officers cited many reasons why the plan should be thrown out, objecting to its design; the potential impact of noise from the adjacent bus depot on prospective residents as well as the lack of provision for affordable housing.

The company has also claimed the scheme is unable to support legal agreement financial contributions - sums of money developers hand over for community projects if planners believe a scheme will have an impact on the surrounding area’s amenities or infrastructure.

But officers said the new development did not have sufficient additional planning merit or benefit to outweigh the requirement for this money.

They also said that the development could lead to otters losing their habitats within the River Usk special area of conservation.

Planning committee councillors will make their decision at their next meeting on Wednesday.