200 homes approved for Merthyr Tydfil

PLANS for 200 houses and flats in Merthyr Tydfil have been approved by councillors.

The application for 200 units at Dragon Park in Abercanaid from Davies Homes was approved by the council’s planning, regulatory and licensing committee on Wednesday, July 19.

Of the 200 houses and flats proposed, 20 would be classed as affordable housing, and the plans include associated engineering, access and landscaping works.

There would be one to five-bedroom detached, semi-detached, terraced houses and flats with two three-storey high apartment blocks, each having nine one-bedroom units.

The main access to the site would be from the south via an upgraded existing roundabout and the report said that from this roundabout a road would sweep around a “multifunctional open space” which is to be used for recreation, play and sustainable drainage and would also introduce new habitats.

At the heart of the site the layout would include an 18m wide open space which is known as “Central Park” in the design and access statement.

A path for cyclists and pedestrians would be installed along the eastern boundary (adjacent to the River Taff) and through the ‘Central Park’ leading to the main road that serves Abercanaid.

At the northern boundary this path joins with a proposed emergency access and so provides connections to the Taff Trail and Trevithick Trail.

A number of the houses would have a single garage and further parking spaces to the front of the garages and where garages are not proposed, driveways or rear courtyard parking would be provided.

The planning report said the land is relatively flat, measures approximately 9.03 hectares and and once formed part of the former Dragon Parc industrial site.

There was one email received as part of the public consultation which raised concern over the impact of additional traffic from the development around dropping off and collecting children from the primary school and from Pentrebach railway station with children using the train to get to and from Afon Taf school.

They also asked if there will be a new road bridge to access Abercanaid Primary School.

Planning officers are recommended the committee approves the application saying: “The proposal is welcomed as it provides much needed new housing for the county borough in a highly sustainable location.

“It is also noted that 10% of the housing would be affordable and thus provides an essential contribution to the housing needs of the immediate and wider locality.

“The design of the houses, layout of the site, open space provision and strategic landscaping would result in a quality place that is well connected to the existing community.

“There is no objection to this application on flood risk grounds and the proposal is also acceptable in terms of its impact on highway and pedestrian safety, residential amenity and ecology.

“As such, it complies with the relevant policies of the LDP.”