A DEVELOPMENT of 72 affordable homes is set to be approved in Barry despite objections from residents.

Plans to build the apartments in two four and five storey blocks in Subway Road have been recommended for approval by Vale of Glamorgan Council officers.

The apartments, which would all be social rented, would be served by 37 parking spaces and would be based opposite the council’s Docks Office.

The Vale council planning committee will decide whether to approve the scheme on Thursday, February 28.

But around 20 objections have been made against the development, including from Barry Town Council.

Concerns have been raised about the scale and visual impact of the buildings, parking, loss of privacy for surrounding properties and loss of existing commercial units.

If the plans are approved all the units currently on the site, including Crefft Kitchen and Bedroom Studio and the former home of Glamorgan Plumbing Supplies, would be demolished to make way for the new development.

Block one of the development, at the southern end of the site next to Ffordd Y Milleniwm would be five storeys high, while Block two to the north would be four storeys high.

Barry Town Council has made strong objections to the plans, citing “the excessive height and scale” of the proposed development, and “potential overlooking” of the existing two storey homes to the rear of the site.

The town council also says there could be “a potential over development of the site”  and the proposed car parking provision is “poor”.

Neighbouring residents have also objected to the plans criticising its number of parking spaces, loss of privacy, loss of historic buildings and over development of the site.

But Vale council officers have urged the committee to approve the plans.

A housing assessment in 2017 said Barry needs an extra 576 affordable homes each year to keep up with demand., while there are 452 households on the council’s housing waiting list in the Castleland ward of the town.

The council report said: “It is considered that the development would make a significant contribution towards meeting that housing need and, on balance, it is considered that it would outweigh the modest loss of employment space within the site, and that the loss of that space would not significantly affect the supply and availability of employment land within Barry.

“While taller than the two and three storey dwellings/flats to the rear, the buildings are comparable with much of the wider street scene and they would not appear as over-scaled or unusually tall in this context, when approaching the site from either direction along Ffordd Y Milleniwm.”

The original plans were for 80 units, but this has been revised down, with block two being scaled down from five to four storeys.

The council report says: “In this case, while the building is relatively large, it is considered that the scale, taken together with the distance between the properties, would ensure an acceptable level of amenity would be preserved and that the development would not be unreasonably overbearing.

“The site is in a particularly sustainable location, within close walking distance of Barry Docks Train Station, regular bus routes, a medical centre, retail uses on the Waterfront and Barry Town Centre.

“Consequently, this is a site where occupants could realistically live without a car, given the very close proximity to transport links and a very wide range of

day to day services.”