Testun llawn:
I am writing to object to the proposed housing allocation at Clive Road, St Athan (51 units) in the Vale of Glamorgan Deposit RLDP (2021–2036) and to request that the site is removed (de-allocated) at adoption.
1. The allocation conflicts with the RLDP’s own strategic distribution logic.
The Deposit RLDP confirms a “Sustainable Growth Strategy” that focuses development in a Strategic Growth Area. Clive Road is not a strategic site and its inclusion appears to be driven by a package deal arrangement rather than spatial strategy.
2. Weak alignment with national planning policy.
Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 expects growth to be concentrated in locations with high accessibility and public transport. Clive Road does not meet this threshold due to its rural setting.
3. Over-concentration of growth in St Athan.
Other major allocations (Church Farm and Land West of St Athan) already place significant development pressure on the village. Adding Clive Road further intensifies unsustainable car-dependent expansion.
4. Delivery-led rather than policy-led reasoning.
Council documentation confirms the Clive Road allocation is tied to a housing package deal rather than best spatial performance.
Requested change: Remove/de-allocate Clive Road from the Deposit RLDP.
Strategic Need for Community Infrastructure in St Athan
St Athan is already accommodating substantial planned growth, including more than 1,100 homes across Church Farm and Land West of St Athan (as noted in your existing document). With this scale of population increase, local policy requirements in the RLDP and Planning Policy Wales (PPW) emphasise a matching increase in community, recreational, and social infrastructure.
Clive Road is a community space, used for the community by the community on a daily basis.
Allocating Clive Road Field as community space would:
• Address the infrastructure deficit resulting from cumulative development.
• Provide a central, walkable green space for existing and future residents.
• Support RLDP placemaking goals by improving access to recreation, wellbeing amenities, and active travel.
Proximity to the Golf Club Does Not Reduce the Need for Allocated Community Green Space
The presence of St Athan Golf Club does not lessen or replace the requirement for accessible public green space within the settlement. Golf courses are privately owned, fee based leisure facilities, not public open spaces, and therefore cannot be counted toward the RLDP’s standards for usable recreational or community land
2. Alignment With Placemaking Principles (Planning Policy Wales)
PPW sets out five key “placemaking outcomes,” including:
• Health & Wellbeing
• Active, Social Places
• Locally Distinctive Communities
Repurposing Clive Road Field for community space directly supports these outcomes by:
• Offering safe outdoor space for residents of all ages.
• Encouraging walking, informal play, and outdoor activity.
• Preserving a familiar, village scale landscape element that contributes to St Athan’s identity.
Housing on this site, by contrast, would worsen dispersal, car dependence, and loss of green amenity — contrary to PPW.
3. Accessibility Advantage Over Other Locations
Clive Road Field has a uniquely beneficial location:
• It sits within an established residential area, meaning residents can easily access it without driving.
• It provides a natural buffer and relief space between housing clusters.
• It enables inclusive access for children, elderly residents, and those with mobility challenges.
This makes it more suitable for community use than peripheral or private green spaces that lack public accessibility.
4. Mitigating the Cumulative Impact of Large Allocations
With the village absorbing two major strategic allocations, St Athan is at risk of:
• Settlement over intensification
• Loss of green breaks between housing areas
• Increased pressure on play facilities, walking areas, and open space
Retaining Clive Road Field as community space:
• Balances the impact of new housing estates
• Ensures the community is not left with insufficient recreation land
• Meets RLDP open space standards, which require accessible green space within 400–600m of homes
5. Preventing Settlement Coalescence and Preserving Village Character
Clive Road Field provides an important visual and spatial break within the built form of St Athan.
Development would eliminate this break, reducing the village’s rural character and contributing to urbanisation inconsistent with:
• PPW guidance on rural settlement character
• RLDP design and landscape policies
A community space designation would protect local distinctiveness.
6. Demonstrated Community Value and Potential Uses
Local open spaces deliver quantifiable social value. Clive Road Field could support:
• Informal recreation
• Community events
• Play areas or outdoor gym equipment
• Community gardens or biodiversity areas
• A safe route for active travel between neighbourhoods
Such uses strengthen social cohesion and align with Welsh Government’s commitment to promoting healthy, resilient communities.
Conclusion
Given the cumulative growth in St Athan, policy requirements for healthy placemaking, and the strategic importance of accessible green space, Clive Road Field offers exceptional value as a community space rather than a housing allocation.
Requested modification:
Remove the housing allocation for Clive Road Field and re designate the site as protected community green space to support placemaking, wellbeing, and sustainable growth in St Athan.
