County Councillor Meirion Howells declared a personal and prejudicial interest pursuant to the Members' Code of Conduct in respect of application DM/2018/01995, as he is a committee member of Usk Civic Society which had objected to the application.  He therefore left the meeting taking no part in the discussion or voting thereon in respect of this application.

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting dated 7th February 2023 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

We considered the report of the application and late correspondence which was recommended for approval subject to the conditions outlined in the report.

This application had been presented to Planning Committee on 6^th December 2022 with a recommendation for approval. The recommendation had been agreed by the Planning Committee subject to two additional conditions namely:

• Compliance with approved site levels (to manage flood issues).

• A Flood Action Plan to be submitted pursuant to the reserved matters.

Also, the resolution to approve had been subject to officers checking with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) that it had taken into account the impacts of flooding associated with the Olway Brook when assessing the flood information submitted by the applicant and that this matter be agreed via the Delegation Panel.

The Conservative local Member for Llanbadoc and Usk attended the meeting by invitation of the Chair and outlined the following information:

·         Councillor Kear informed the Committee that he is the Chairman of Usk Civic Society. However, for the purpose of this planning application he has removed himself from any discussions within the Society regarding this matter.

·         Following the Development Management Area Team Manager’s presentation, the local Member confirmed his satisfaction and support for the application as local residents’ concerns have been alleviated.

The applicant’s agent, Nick Bowen, attended the meeting by invitation of the Chair and outlined the following points:

·         There are in excess of 50 houses in Mill Street and Baron Street where the flood levels will reduce by up to 100mm as a result of this proposed development. Improvements are being made to the flood conveyance routes through the site.

It was proposed by County Councillor Jan Butler and seconded by County Councillor Su McConnel that application DM/2018/01995 be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the report and subject to two additional conditions namely:

• Compliance with approved site levels (to manage flood issues).

• A Flood Action Plan to be submitted pursuant to the reserved matters.

Upon being put to the vote the following votes were recorded:

For approval             -           15

Against approval      -           0

Abstentions               -           0

The proposition was carried.

We resolved that application DM/2018/01995 be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the report and subject to two additional conditions namely:

• Compliance with approved site levels (to manage flood issues).

• A Flood Action Plan to be submitted pursuant to the reserved matters.

We considered the report of the application and late correspondence which was recommended for approval subject to the conditions outlined in the report.

The local Member for Magor East with Undy, County Councillor Angela Sandles, attended the meeting by invitation of the Chair and outlined the following information:

·         There is a history of objections to the development of this site going back to 2013.

·         Outline Planning permission was granted in 2021.

·         The Community Council had objected to the development.

·         Complaints have been received from residents regarding the site relating to access, noise, drainage, traffic and the contractors.

·         There is no area of open green space for walkers to access from any of the housing estates’ vicinities.

·         The field, known as Parcel B, was a community space that was used daily.

·         Flora and fauna have changed over the years.

·         The centre of the field has always been avoided as water does not drain from this area.

·         There is limited access to the site.

·         The site is noisy being only 50 metres away from the M4 motorway with associated vehicle emissions.

·         The surrounding area is densely populated with new build properties.

·         The two local primary schools are full, there are no NHS dentists, and the GP surgery is overstretched.

·         Traffic leaving either Dancing Hill or the Rockfield estates are already backed up the hills every weekday morning whilst leaving to go to work / school on their way to the B4245. It was considered that this matter would get worse, going forward, if the proposed development was approved.

The applicant’s agent, Kate Coventry, attended the meeting by invitation of the Chair and outlined the following points:

·         The report of the application is comprehensive outlining why the application should be approved.

·         The site is allocated within the County Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP).

·         The site is located adjacent to the established built up area of Magor and Undy and connects the approved mixed-use scheme allocation at Rockfield Farm which is under construction and forms part of the connecting east – west link road.

·         Planning Committee approved the hybrid application at its meeting in January 2022. Grant funding has now been received by the Cardiff Capital Region. Construction has commenced on site A with the first occupation expected in July 2023.

·         There have been no objections raised from statutory consultees as outlined in the report of the application.

·         The scheme will deliver 70 homes within Parcel B of the wider allocated site.

·         The scheme, via grant funding, is able to deliver policy compliant 25% affordable housing to aid in the shortfall across the County.

·         The scheme is designed around green infrastructure (GI) including key corridors running east to west and north to south across the parcel of land.

·         The corridor has been maintained on site and has been enhanced which delivers a net gain in biodiversity on site. There is also a net gain in hedgerows and trees across the site with the scheme delivering a community orchard alongside public open space and a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

We received the Planning Inspectorate report which related to an appeal decision following a site visit that had been held at Brookside Shed, Llancayo Road, Gwehelog on 9th January 2023.           

We noted that the appeal had been dismissed.