Housing site that could have delivered hundreds of homes is scrapped
There was a lot of opposition to the potential housing site in north east Barry, but the council is now saying it won't be considered due to "deliverability" issues
Vale of Glamorgan Council is no longer considering a controversial housing site in Barry
(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne )
A site in Barry that could have delivered hundreds of homes is no longer being considered by Vale of Glamorgan Council due to concerns over its future deliverability. The local authority recently announced that it hopes to put plans for new housing sites in Barry out for consultation soon.
One of the three sites, land near Weycock Cross in north west Barry, replaces the originally proposed site between Argae Lane and the Barry Docks link road in north east Barry.
There were concerns over the deliverability of this site after doubts emerged over whether or not the parcels of land that made up the proposed allocation would be sold. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
Vale of Glamorgan Council's cabinet member for community engagement, Cllr Ruba Sivagnanam, said: "The population of Barry is growing, meaning so is demand for homes, particularly affordable housing.
'In order to meet this need, the Council has identified three sites in the town for possible housing development, the largest being near Weycock Cross.
'If agreed by Cabinet, a consultation exercise will begin shortly, offering all interested parties the chance to share their thoughts on the proposals.
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'We want everyone to have quality homes in safe neighbourhoods and believe developing sites such as these will help deliver that.'
The council's proposed housing sites are linked to its plan for future development, also known as the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP).
A plan of the site in north east Barry
(Image: Vale of Glamorgan Council )
Local Development Plans (LDPs) are used by councils to determine which sites are used for housing and which sites are used for industrial development.
They are also used to lay out which sites should be protected from development.
The proposed sites for housing in Barry that could go out to consultation are as follows:
Land at Hayes Lane in the Bendricks - 54 homes
Land at Neptune Way on Barry Waterfront - 40 homes
Land near Weycock Cross in north west Barry - 376 homes
Under the original proposal for the RLDP, the north east Barry site was earmarked for 900 homes.
The council said the site could eventually help deliver 1,500 homes, but 900 of these were proposed to be delivered during the RLDP period (2021-2036).
Some objections were raised about the use of this site, with residents living nearby fearing a loss of green space and the potential strain on roads and local services.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) also raised concerns in relation to the proposed scale of development and the site's proximity to the Barry Woodlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
In terms of why the council has decided not to use this site, all it said in its most recent statement was that it "is no longer being considered due to concerns about deliverability".
A council cabinet report says that whilst the council received statements of intent from landowners to sell the land on site, they did not get sufficient evidence to guarantee that this would happen.
The report states: "Whilst statements of intent to release the site for development have been received by the Council for a number of the development parcels, as the plan progresses there is a need for further certainty from all parties in the form of appropriate evidence, such as signed heads of terms, demonstrating commitment from the respective landowners that there is a common agreement on the delivery of the site.
"The Council has actively engaged with the site promoters and landowner representatives throughout the process.
"However, insufficient evidence has been received in respect of full landowner agreement to give sufficient confidence that a site of the scale originally envisaged can be brought forward within the plan period.
"Further time spent seeking to resolve these matters will lead to significant delays to the RLDP timetable.
"Whilst a smaller site involving fewer landowners could potentially be delivered, this would result in a smaller quantum of development that would be unable to support the proposed mix of uses that are deemed critical to the effective placemaking of this site, and relate poorly to the existing settlement pattern.
"In addition, it would be more challenging to deliver the active travel improvements necessary to reduce the car dependency of the location."
Vale of Glamorgan Council said the area in north west Barry is being considered "as it is in a suitable location within reasonable walking and cycling distance of Barry station and range of other services and facilities".
If they had gone ahead with the site to the north east of the town, it would have required improvements to infrastructure, including the upgrading of highways and pedestrian and cycle access from Gilbert Lane and Argae Lane.
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The closest rail link is Cadoxton Railway Station, which is about 1km away.
If the council's cabinet members approve the latest proposals at a meeting on Thursday, May 1, there will be an in-person engagement event to discuss them and there will also be a chance for people to share their thoughts online and by telephone.
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