Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
Vale of Glamorgan Council

We wish to object to the inclusion of site 370 Bryn melin in the deposit LDP. I base my objections on the principle of soundness and the inclusion of the site is at variance with the overall plan in terms of location within a sustainable transport corridor.
The site was included because it was stated that it was in the original LDP but the site is substantially different and probably wouldn't have been included in the original if it was in its current form having very limited or no safe access by car, cycle or pedestrian.
I would challenge the soundness of this site's inclusion on the basis of sustainability and evidence base. Many aspects of the sustainability assessment are flawed in themselves and are also questionable when compared with the assessment of the other cowbridge sites.
There are flaws in the evidence base and a distinct bias, for whatever reason, in the sustainability assessment. It is doubtful whether any of the sites in cowbridge were visited during the final assessment but it is clear that of all the sites within cowbridge this site, bryn melin, offers the worst opportunity for development.
The site is in a special landscape area and development of the site would not only destroy this scenic green agricultural field but also remove a public amenity of a public footpath used by many for walking and dog walking.
The site is a habitat for many animals and species and is a stepping stone into the wider countryside beyond.
The topography of this site is very challenging with a slope of over 11.5 percent which means that there will be substantial carbon emissions with excavation, retaining structures and infill. The topography of the site also presents substantial challenges for accessibility ,pedestrians and cyclists.
The main issue with the site is the access for all forms of transport whether car, cycle or pedestrian. There is no obvious, safe access for any of these modes of transport and the recent independent road safety audit confirmed these findings. It is not clear how any modifications to the site can make access safe and available and comply with Welsh government and local council policy requirements.
Cowbridge does not have good, economical public transportation links. This is particularly significant as most of the jobs are outside of cowbridge and require the use of cars for access. Access from this site to even local facilities will probably require the use of cars because of the topography, location and relative accessibility. It is also not clear within the evidence base that Cowbridge needs this site to meet any future housing demands within the deposit plan time frame
It is also questionable why this Cowbridge site was included in the plan especially when compared to the other available sites considered in the stage 3 assessment. .No local knowledge or placemaking assessment appears to have been carried out and the local town council and residents of Cowbridge have not been consulted adequately on the selection of this site, particularly when compared to the other considered cowbridge sites.
We conclude that on the basis of soundness, flawed evidence base and sustainability assessment this site should not be included in the deposit plan.