Testun llawn:
I write to formally object to the proposed allocation of land for approximately 250 residential dwellings in Dinas Powys, as set out in the Vale of Glamorgan Local Development Plan 2021–2036 Deposit Plan.
My objection is founded on substantial concerns relating to flood risk, drainage and infrastructure capacity, education provision, highway safety and congestion, environmental harm, and non-compliance with national and local planning policy.
1. Flood Risk and Drainage Capacity
The proposed allocation raises serious and well-founded concerns regarding flood risk and surface water management. Parts of Dinas Powys have a documented history of surface water flooding and drainage exceedance during periods of heavy rainfall, demonstrating that existing drainage infrastructure is already under significant strain.
I have direct personal experience of these problems. My property was recently flooded due to a burst water main, causing damage and prolonged disruption. The issue remains unresolved, and I am still awaiting remedial works, including the replacement of my lawn and boundary fencing by Welsh Water. This has caused considerable distress, inconvenience, and ongoing uncertainty, highlighting the fragility of the existing drainage and water infrastructure.
The scale of development proposed would significantly increase impermeable surfaces, thereby intensifying surface water run-off and materially elevating flood risk both within the site and to surrounding residential areas downstream. The Deposit Plan fails to demonstrate that adequate, deliverable, and fully funded drainage and flood mitigation infrastructure can be secured to address these impacts.
This approach is contrary to the requirements of Planning Policy Wales (PPW) and TAN 15: Development, Flooding and Coastal Erosion, which require development to be directed away from areas of flood risk and to ensure that flood consequences are not increased elsewhere.
2. Education Capacity – Unsustainable Impact on Local Schools
Primary and secondary schools serving Dinas Powys are already operating at or near full capacity. The addition of approximately 250 dwellings would generate a substantial increase in pupil numbers, which existing education facilities are neither designed nor resourced to accommodate.
The Deposit Plan fails to demonstrate that sufficient school places can be delivered in a timely manner, or that appropriate land, funding, and delivery mechanisms are secured to facilitate necessary expansions. In the absence of guaranteed educational infrastructure provision, the proposal risks causing significant detriment to educational standards, accessibility, and community wellbeing, contrary to the principles of sustainable development.
3. Highway Capacity, Traffic Congestion and Safety
The local highway network within and surrounding Dinas Powys already experiences chronic congestion, particularly during peak commuting and school travel periods. Key routes routinely operate at or beyond practical capacity, resulting in frequent queuing, delays, and reduced highway safety.
As a local school employee, I do not feel safe walking to work due to traffic conditions and pedestrian safety concerns. Instead, I am compelled to travel by car, despite the short distance of just over one mile. Even this short journey routinely takes approximately 15 minutes, and significantly longer when delayed by service or refuse collection vehicles. This illustrates the severe existing pressure on the local road network.
The additional vehicular movements generated by 250 new dwellings would materially worsen congestion, air pollution, and highway safety risks. Particular concern arises regarding pedestrian and cyclist safety, especially for school children.
The Deposit Plan fails to demonstrate how these cumulative transport impacts would be acceptably mitigated or how sustainable transport measures would realistically offset increased reliance on private vehicles.
4. Loss of Green Space, Biodiversity and Wildlife Habitat
The proposed allocation would result in the irreversible loss of valuable greenfield land and wildlife habitat, which currently supports local biodiversity, ecological networks, and protected species.
These green spaces deliver essential ecosystem services, provide opportunities for recreation, and contribute significantly to the physical and mental wellbeing of residents. Their loss would fundamentally undermine the rural character, environmental quality, and liveability of Dinas Powys.
The Deposit Plan does not demonstrate adequate ecological mitigation, compensation, or biodiversity net gain, contrary to the requirements of PPW, TAN 5: Nature Conservation and Planning, and the Environment (Wales) Act 2016.
5. Overdevelopment and Harm to Settlement Character
The scale of development proposed is disproportionate to the size, character, and infrastructure capacity of Dinas Powys. An additional 250 dwellings represent a substantial and unsustainable expansion that would erode the village’s distinct identity and semi-rural setting.
Such growth constitutes overdevelopment, conflicting with sound placemaking principles and settlement hierarchy policies, and risks transforming Dinas Powys into a suburban extension of Cardiff, rather than maintaining it as a sustainable and cohesive village community.
6. Failure to Demonstrate Soundness
For the reasons outlined above, the proposed allocation fails to meet the statutory tests of soundness, in particular:
• Test CE1 – The plan is not deliverable, due to unresolved and unfunded infrastructure constraints.
• Test CE2 – The plan is not flexible, as it relies on uncertain future infrastructure provision.
• Test C2 – The plan is not consistent with national planning policy.
The proposed allocation of 250 dwellings in Dinas Powys within the Deposit Plan is unsound, unsustainable, and likely to result in significant environmental, social, and infrastructural harm. I respectfully request that this allocation be removed or substantially reduced prior to submission for independent examination.
