Testun llawn:
I wish to object to the further development of 50 houses to the St James Village new estate (2016) in Wick, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan.
As part of the Local Development plan, 250 houses were constructed on the current site adjoining the edge of this small village. A further 17 affordable houses are shortly to be completed on the north side of St Brides Rd, Wick.
My objections are based on the following observations:-
1) Impact upon the Environment.
The proposed site is currently very close to existing buildings and is currently used for recreational purposes such as Dog Walking. It is protected on two sides with hedges and on the other two sides by houses with an interrupted view of the land leading to the heritage coast and the sea.
According to the UKRadon web site, the area is regarded as having Elevated Radon Potential. Unless effectively managed during construction, this could be detrimental to other residents who might suffer from lung conditions such as COPD.
2) Impact upon traffic and transportation.
Currently, the estate roads are owned privately and not maintained by the local authority. The impact on these roads with heavy building plant could be severe and the small entrance to the site will cause access and egress problems both during and after the building phase.
3) Impact upon the character and appearance of the area.
The small village of Wick has already undergone major changes with the addition of 250 plus new houses and can be justly proud of shouldering its own share of Governmental house development policies. To add further development on top of this in the local development plan would further impact upon the character of the village and appearance of the area. This could also open the eyes of future developers as to extending the village a lot further into the future.
4) Impact upon Neighbouring properties and Privacy.
Some properties of the current estate will be overshadowed and overlooked by new properties with a possible loss of light. There will be a need to advocate for the protection of resident’s rights and ensure a fair balance between new developments and existing properties.
5) Impact upon local amenities and services.
An extra strain will be placed on infrastructure, schools and health care facilities in the locality. These are already under pressure with the village school including other villages and St Athan’s RAF base children in its catchment area; a heavily subscribed GP service in Llantwit Major and other public services such as Power, Drainage, Water, etc..
In conclusion, St James Estate was developed to meet the need of extra affordable housing in the small village of Wick. In doing so, the property company also purchased an extra field in the hope of profiting from its development at a later date. It would seem that the residents of the estate have, in the main, endeavoured to support the village in its activities and been mostly accepted by members of the village itself.This may not be the case as the village is expanded much further.
With the advent of a smaller development of affordable housing on the north side of Wick road, the Village has recently increased its commitment to the local development plan.
Although appreciating the Government and Local Authorities’ needs to meet housing targets, I strongly feel that any further developments in Wick at this time, will have an adverse effect on the character and people of the village.
St James Estate was developed to meet the need of extra affordable housing in the small village of Wick. In doing so, the property company also purchased an extra field in the hope of profiting from its development at a later date. It would seem that the residents of the estate have, in the main, endeavoured to support the village in its activities and been mostly accepted by members of the village itself.This may not be the case as the village is expanded much further.
With the advent of a smaller development of affordable housing on the north side of Wick road, the Village has recently increased its commitment to the local development plan.
Although appreciating the Government and Local Authorities’ needs to meet housing targets, I strongly feel that any further developments in Wick at this time, will have an adverse effect on the character and people of the village.
