St Fagans area in Cardiff may get a green light for 290 homes
Planning approval for up to 290 homes in the St Fagans area of Cardiff may be granted at this week's council meeting after officials recommended the plan. However, over 500 people have signed a petition objecting to the development, citing the size and lack of infrastructure as concerns. The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, plus others, also object on the grounds of unsustainability and loss of wildlife habitat.

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Plans for up to 290 homes in the St Fagans area of Cardiff, could get the green light this week when councillors meet for a crucial vote on the scheme.

Redrow Homes Limited wants to build the properties on land south of Pentrebane Road.

Officials have recommended councillors back the plan at a meeting on Wednesday, saying it falls within “strategic site C”.

This is an area of north west Cardiff set aside for the 5,000-home Plasdŵr development in the council’s local development plan (LDP).

Over 500 objecting

But a report to go before councillors suggests over 500 people have signed a petition against the plans on change.org.

Most of the properties would be family homes, with up to 16% one-bedroom apartments, 34% two-bedroom houses, 50% three-bedroom properties and 10% four-bedroom.

Under a deal with Cardiff Council, Redrow have agreed that about 30% of the homes would be affordable on the site, which will include a children’s play area.

These would be split between social housing, which usually means council and housing association properties, and low-cost home ownership, “subject to viability”.

Vice chair of St Fagans Community Council John Hughes said facilities and services are not in place in north west Cardiff to support 5,000 homes.

He said: “What you have to remember is people have to live somewhere and we don’t object to that. We object to the size of the development and the lack of infrastructure.

“And that is the key phrase in all this - the lack of infrastructure.”

Coun Hughes said the homes would change the identity of the rural village.

Welsh Tory leader against plan

Among others objecting are councillor Paul Mitchell, South Wales Central AM Neil McEvoy and leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew Davies.

Coun Mitchell said existing roads won’t cope with the traffic, while Mr McEvoy says two thirds of the site is classed as agricultural land.

He said work by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership has shown that by 2030 the UK may need seven million hectares of extra land for food, space and energy needs. Building on agricultural land is in no way sustainable, he added.

Mr Davies said the site is home to many birds, bats and reptiles that would be put at considerable risk.

Redrow plan one of four for area

The authority is also considering an application for 300 homes at Goitre Fach Farm, on Llantrisant Road, and a bid for “5,970 residential units” in north west Cardiff.

It approved plans for 630 homes on land north and south of Llantrisant Road in February.

And it is looking at plans for a “comprehensive development” further north west in an area designated as “strategic site D” to create new homes.

Cardiff North AM Julie Morgan has warned plans for 700 new homes on Caerphilly Mountain would bring her constituency to a “standstill at rush hour”.

Council officers say the principle of developing the Redrow Homes’ site for housing is “firmly established” in its LDP.

It will deliver a “high quality, sustainable and distinctive development” and “there are no reasonable grounds for refusal”, says the report on the scheme.

Project director of Plasdŵr Wayne Rees said the Pentrebane Road application is one of the first steps in creating a "world-class, sustainable community" with up to 7000 homes over 900 acres of land in north west Cardiff.



He added: “In February, outline planning was approved for the first 630 homes at Llantrisant Road, with work expected to start later this summer and Plasdŵr’s first residents expected to move in during Spring 2017. The application at Pentrebane Road is the next stage of the phased Plasdŵr masterplan."

Redrow have been contacted.