Plans for a major new housing development in Cardiff came to fruition. Cardiff city council planning committee approved plans to build 2,500 houses on land south of the M4 between Lisvane and Pontprennau at a meeting on Thursday 2 March.
The residential complex will include a primary school, land for a secondary school, restaurants, a supermarket and a hospital. Residents and local councilors have raised concerns about the development, which will surround the Churchlands residential area, potentially causing disruption to the area.
Cardiff Councilor for Liswane and Thornhill Councilor Emma Reid-Jones said “Liswane’s road infrastructure is on the verge of collapse.” Speaking on behalf of the five councilors from Pontprenau, Old St Mellons, Lisvane and Thornhill boroughs at the planning committee meeting, he added further concern, saying: “With construction already underway, our fantastic local schools are already overcrowded.
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“We understand from the authorities that they are planning the phased transition that will take at least five to 10 years before there are additional places in elementary and secondary schools. Using board numbers released this week, Llanishen High is 12% over-enrolled in September 2024. Gotta ask where kids are moving to expected area.
“Our current GPs are also full and simply cannot accommodate the additional patients. This may result in many new residents not being able to register with their local GP.” Another potential issue raised by Cllr Reid-Jones relates to the idea that development may be deemed unnecessary after it emerged in March 2021 that Cardiff’s population growth figures were overestimated.
Cardiff’s population was originally predicted to grow by around 38,400 between 2018 and 2026. After the Welsh government revised its population forecast for 2026, the expected increase dropped to around 8,600. The board said data from the 2021 census would play a role in developing the new Local Development Plan (PDL). Consultations on the preferred strategy for the PLD will not take place before the summer.
Manager Reid-Jones added, “We believe there are significant issues around our schools and health centers, infrastructure, transportation and environment that we feel have not been addressed. Myself and four other councilors agree with this. We are not opposed to the construction of much-needed housing, but we must learn from the mistakes made in previous developments and not repeat them.”
Planning committee member, Councilor Adrian Robson addressed the point raised about the council’s LDP. He said: “We have evidence going back several years to suggest that the trends that were predicted are not happening. We are now in the process of replacing the Local Development Plan.
(Image: Taylor Wimpey)
“In my point of view, we in the PLD ceded land that we didn’t need to cede, for better or for worse. If I were to go to the committee right now and say I’m going to decline because I don’t create this site, which needs to be developed due to the weight of evidence based on completion rates, based on the census data we’ve had recently, etc. where are we going to be? I feel uncomfortable doing that now.”
Cardiff Council planning officer Simon Gilbert said: “The current replacement of the LDP cannot be a major issue for this committee until it is formally adopted, which we expect will be much later in 2023. LDP remains part of the development plan with the national plan, so this committee must consider it in the context of the adopted LDP policy.
“I understand that when we produced the currently adopted LDP, we didn’t have an updated LDP and as a result, there was no land in the land bank… I think it’s different now. This will be a migration from the existing LDP to a replacement LDP, where sites that receive planning permission that are actually built during the two planning periods will form part of this allocation.”
He then added: “The current LDP is accepted, it is the primary material planning consideration in these types of housing applications and the site forms part of a dedicated site with a comprehensive master planning process.” Responding to Cllr Reid-Jones’ comments, Counselor Tim Walter said: “In terms of education and health provision, this plan, as I mentioned in my presentation, will provide for a 10-hectare school, a secondary school and an elementary school. which is much needed in this area.
“Obviously this is a phased development and building schools and health care is an issue that will be discussed in detail during the writing of the Section 106 agreement. health, as well as the school board staff, on the appropriate timing to put in place the necessary infrastructure.”
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Source: Wales Online
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
