A DEVELOPER has withdrawn its second appeal for 200 homes at Weycock Cross, in Barry, after a Welsh Government inspector recommended its refusal.

Taylor Wimpey had made the proposals for land at Walters Farm, but campaigners had opposed the scheme.

The Vale council leader, councillor Neil Moore, said: “This council could not have made any clearer its opposition to the building of houses at Weycock Cross.

"We have always maintained that there is no justification for extending the settlement boundary of Barry, and so any development of Weycock Cross is totally inappropriate.

“It is clear that the decision of the Natural Resources Minister earlier this month was a vindication of our tough stance on both applications. This has been a lengthy battle for this administration. One which started with the removal of the original Weycock Cross site from the Vale’s draft local development plan and that has ended in victory today with the withdrawal of this second appeal.”

The Walters Farm appeal was lodged by Walters Land (Rogerstone) Limited before the determination of the application by the Council but a recommendation of refusal was supported by the Vale council planning committee on grounds that the development was clearly contrary to the adopted Unitary Development Plan, would impact upon the appearance of the countryside and the existing special landscape area, failed to mitigate against the increase in traffic created and was premature in advance of the adoption of Deposit Draft Local Development Plan.