Homes delay (From Barry And District News)

Homes delay

A PLANNED 700-house development has been put on hold after Welsh Assembly minister Carwyn Jones asked for time to consider letters of objection to the scheme.

As a result, the Vale of Glamorgan Council's unitary development plan (UDP), on which the controversial housing plan in Rhoose is dependent, has been shelved for at least a fortnight.

Vale Council cabinet member for planning and transportation, Cllr A J Williams, has slammed the minister's decision, calling the delay "nothing short of a public scandal" and a "devastating blow".

More than 500 letters of objection to the Rhoose plan were given to Jane Hutt, AM, at a public meeting this month, and she passed them on to the minister.

The UDP, once approved, will set council guidelines for planning matters and developments within the Vale area.

Conservationists and other groups are concerned that the UDP contains no Green Belt area, despite a 1999-2000 inspector's inquiry saying such an area was essential.

They fear this will allow controversial developments such as the Rhoose housing and the'super quarry' at Wenvoe to go ahead unopposed.

Graeme Jones, chairman of Conservation Glamorgan, said: "What is a scandal is the fact that the public were not given the opportunity to debate the plan at a public inquiry."

And Porthkerry Road resident Andrew Bailey, who helped to organise the public meeting and has been fighting the Rhoose plans for five years, added: "If a public inquiry is held it will show the full impact of possible housing development. An inquiry will show that this development is not viable.

"Rhoose cannot sustain 700 houses because we have virtually no facilities to cope with the influx of people. It is not enough to just build a new railway line here."

But Cllr A J Williams, slammed the delay in approving the UDP.

He said: "This is a devastating blow for the Vale of Glamorgan.

"The adoption of this crucial UDP has been previously delayed by the Assembly's intervention, despite the fact that they have been kept fully informed of the plan's progress.

"The Planning Inspectorate has actually gone on record in declaring that the Vale plans are old, outdated and time-expired.