Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
Vale of Glamorgan Council

I submit a formal and unequivocal objection to the proposed residential development of approximately 376 dwellings on the 18.73 hectare site at North West Barry. While the need for housing, including affordable housing, is acknowledged, the scale and location of this development will place unacceptable and unsustainable pressure on existing infrastructure, public services, educational provision, and the natural environment. The proposal fails to satisfy the requirements of Welsh planning policy and does not demonstrate that the town of Barry possesses the capacity to absorb such a significant population increase without serious and long-lasting harm.

**Conflict with Welsh Planning Policy**Under Planning Policy Wales, development must follow the principles of sustainable placemaking and ensure that infrastructure, services, and environmental protections are in place to support population growth. The proposal fails to meet these fundamental requirements.

Planning Policy Wales states that development must:

* Deliver sustainable locations with adequate infrastructure * Protect and enhance biodiversity and green infrastructure * Avoid placing unacceptable pressure on public services * Promote sustainable transport and reduce reliance on private vehicles

The current proposal fails to demonstrate compliance with these principles. No clear, binding commitments exist to deliver the infrastructure, educational capacity, healthcare provision, or environmental protections required to support 376 additional dwellings.

Furthermore, the Future Wales - The National Plan 2040 emphasises sustainable growth, protection of green infrastructure networks, and resilience to climate change. The large-scale development of open land on the edge of Barry directly conflicts with these objectives.

*Severe Pressure on Local Schools*

The proposed development will directly intensify existing pressures on local educational facilities. Schools within Barry already operate under high levels of demand, with waiting lists and limited capacity in several year groups.

Secondary schools such as *Whitmore High School* Pencoedtre High School* and *Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg** already serve expanding catchment areas and face increasing enrolment pressure.

The addition of approximately 376 dwellings will generate a substantial number of additional school- aged children. Without the construction of new school facilities or significant expansion of existing schools, classroom overcrowding will intensify, waiting lists will expand, and local families will face reduced access to education within their community.

Planning authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that adequate educational provision exists before large residential developments are approved. This proposal fails to demonstrate that sufficient educational infrastructure accompanies the planned housing.

*Inadequate Healthcare Capacity**

Primary healthcare services in Barry already experience substantial demand. Local GP surgeries operate under capacity constraints and residents routinely experience extended waiting times for appointments.

The addition of hundreds of new households will significantly increase demand for GP services, dental care, community health provision, and pharmacy access. Without the simultaneous development of new healthcare facilities and additional medical staff, residents will experience worsening access to essential healthcare services.

This directly contradicts the planning principle that population growth must be matched with proportional expansion of public service capacity.**Transport Congestion and Infrastructure Failure*

The proposal recognises that *Weycock Cross Roundabout** already experiences significant congestion during peak commuting hours. This junction serves as a critical traffic node for the town and regularly experiences heavy queues.

The development will generate a substantial increase in daily vehicle movements connecting to A4226 Port Road West* intensifying congestion and reducing road safety.

Transport studies across the United Kingdom consistently show that new suburban housing developments increase vehicle dependency and traffic volumes. The Department for Transport** reports that suburban households typically generate multiple car journeys per day, particularly where employment centres are located outside the immediate area.

Incremental modifications to junction layouts do not address the structural limitation of a road network already operating close to capacity. Increased congestion results in longer commute times, greater accident risk, and elevated vehicle emissions.

*Environmental Damage and Biodiversity Loss**

The development site currently provides open land which contributes to ecological stability, wildlife habitats, and natural biodiversity. Urban development of this land will permanently disrupt ecosystems, fragment habitats, and reduce biodiversity levels.

The *Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change** identifies land-use change and urban expansion as major contributors to biodiversity decline and environmental degradation. Once natural landscapes are replaced with housing infrastructure, ecological restoration becomes extremely difficult.

Furthermore, research from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology** demonstrates that green spaces surrounding towns provide essential ecological services including flood mitigation, carbon storage, air purification, and wildlife corridors.

Development of the site undermines these environmental functions. Even when partial open space remains within housing developments, ecological quality declines significantly due to human disturbance, light pollution, and habitat fragmentation.

*Flood Risk and Drainage Concerns**

Open land naturally absorbs rainfall and reduces surface water runoff. Replacing permeable land with roads, roofs, and hard surfaces increases the risk of surface water flooding.

Research from the Environment Agency demonstrates that urban expansion significantly increases stormwater runoff, placing pressure on drainage systems and increasing flood risk in surrounding areas.

As extreme weather events become more frequent due to climate change, preserving permeable green land becomes increasingly important for managing water flow and protecting surrounding communities.*Climate Change and Carbon Impact**

Large-scale housing developments increase construction emissions, energy consumption, and long- term transport emissions. Construction materials such as concrete and steel generate significant carbon emissions during production.

The Climate Change Committee has emphasised the need for the UK to reduce emissions associated with land-use change and construction in order to meet legally binding climate targets.

Encouraging further suburban expansion that relies heavily on private vehicle travel conflicts with national climate commitments and undermines sustainable development objectives.

Loss of Local Character and Community Identity**

Barry possesses a distinctive character shaped by its historic development pattern, surrounding landscapes, and established communities. Rapid large-scale residential expansion risks eroding this identity and replacing it with dense housing estates disconnected from the town's traditional structure.

Sustainable placemaking requires balanced development that integrates infrastructure, community facilities, and green space. Housing-led expansion without equivalent investment in social infrastructure undermines community cohesion and reduces overall quality of life.

**Impact on Existing Residents*

Residents already living in the surrounding area will experience significant and direct negative impacts including:

* Increased traffic congestion and road safety risks * Overcrowding within local schools * Reduced access to healthcare services * Increased noise and air pollution * Loss of nearby green space and natural landscape * Additional pressure on public services and community resources

These consequences directly reduce the quality of life for existing residents who rely on already stretched local infrastructure.

*Conclusion**

The proposed development at North West Barry fails to satisfy the fundamental requirements of sustainable planning under Welsh national policy. It places severe pressure on schools, healthcare services, transport infrastructure, and environmental resources while offering no credible guarantees that these systems will expand proportionally.

The development also conflicts with national environmental objectives, contributes to biodiversity loss, increases flood risk, and undermines climate commitments.

For these reasons the proposal must be rejected in its current form. Any future development must demonstrate full compliance with national planning policy, provide new educational and healthcareinfrastructure, deliver genuine environmental protection, and ensure that Barry's community, infrastructure, and environment are not placed under unsustainable pressure.

* Accessibility and Fair Consultation Concern**

The consultation process for this proposed development raises serious concerns regarding accessibility and fairness. The objection form provided for public responses is difficult to access and not user-friendly, which creates a barrier for residents wishing to participate in the consultation. Under * *Town and Country Planning (Local Development Plan) (Wales) Regulations 2005 , planning authorities must ensure that consultation procedures are accessible and allow meaningful public participation. Additionally, the principles of public participation set out within Planning Policy Wales** require planning authorities to provide clear, transparent, and inclusive consultation opportunities so that all members of the community can engage with the planning process.

Where consultation mechanisms are difficult to locate, inaccessible, or overly complex to use, this restricts the ability of residents to submit representations and undermines the legitimacy of the consultation process. Public consultation must be conducted in a manner that is fair, transparent, and genuinely accessible to the community affected by the proposed development. If residents face barriers when attempting to submit objections or feedback, the consultation cannot be considered fully compliant with the principles of meaningful public engagement required in the planning process.