Testun llawn:
I am writing about the candidate site HG1 KS2, a development of 250 houses at Eastbrook, Dinas Powys.
Although I understand the need for new housing, I don't think this is the right place for the following reasons:
Traffic and pollution - 250 new homes will bring at least that many extra cars onto a road that is often at a standstill, adding yet more noise and pollution. Sometimes I can see the pollution from my garden, a pale brown haze along the length of the road. The extra set of lights will hold up the already slow moving traffic.
Although the development is well placed to use Eastbrook train station, not many people's places of work are conveniently near a station so unless they work in eg central Cardiff they will still use their cars, and will also do so for supermarket trips and quite possibly to the Tescos in the Murch. The bus service is not frequent enough and will also be held up in the extra traffic.
Dinas Powys Infants' school is within walking distant of the development, but it is an unpleasant walk, noisy and heavy with fumes. I suspect people will drive to the Junior school, adding to the bad congestion around Fairoaks (assuming school places will be available for the children).
Schools and GP surgeries - I can't comment on school places but I know that it is often difficult to get an appointment at the Dinas Powys surgery. When I inquired about a non-urgent appointment recently I was told that the two week list was full. This will only get worse with the influx of extra patients.
We are in a bio-diversity emergency in the uk, and the lost of any habitats should be taken extremely seriously. The Ecological Report states that habitats present on the site have ‘high suitability to support foraging and commuting bats’, ‘valuable habitat for nesting, foraging and commuting hazel dormice’,
‘valuable nesting and foraging resources for small passerine bird species’ and ‘good foraging and commuting habitat for reptiles’. The noise and disruption caused by the development could drive away many of the species present who are not likely to return even if mitigation measures are put in place.
Recent housing developments in Dinas Powys have caused the village to sprawl in several directions, and there is very little space now between the village and Cogan. This development will bring Dinas Powys very closed to Llandough. Many residents fear that the village will loose any sense of identity if it enlarges further, and will end up a small core of a village surrounded by housing estates.
Finally, what is needed is affordable flats/houses for first time buyers. Housing in Dinas Powys is relatively expensive, so the calculation that determines ‘affordable’ is still out of the reach of most young people who would like to stay in the village.
