Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
Vale of Glamorgan Council

My primary objection of this development is the huge negative impact on a beautiful area of countryside that is easily accessible for local residents of Cowbridge to enjoy. This site is part of the Thaw Valley and is protected by being in a designated Special Landscape Area. I have belonged to a walking group and the footpath that is alongside the river is one of our favourite routes. Many walkers enjoy wonderful views of the valley with its variety of habitats for plants, trees and wildlife. The development of site 370 would threaten this special area of countryside especially during the building phase whereby HGV’s and construction vehicles would have to manoeuvre in boggy ground in an area of restricted access. As the site is on a steep slope, any environmental pollutants either in the construction phase or when the houses are inhabited, would filter into the waters of the river Thaw. Wildlife and vegetation would surely be effected negatively.
Another concern is the fact that there is currently no footpath along the St Athan road from the entrance of the site towards the traffic lights at the east end of Cowbridge (route to the secondary school). The road is narrow and winds steeply up/down a hill and the creation of a safe footpath or cycle path is not possible. The knock-on effect of this would be a huge increase of pedestrians and cyclists using the private road, Windmill Lane, instead of a public footpath in order get to Cowbridge safely.

My final concern with this site development is that it has recently come to light that a certain member of the Vale Planning committee has failed to admit to a conflict of interest in site 370 since the first planning application. In a recent Cowbridge and Llanblethian Council Meeting, this member was confronted about his failure to declare a conflict of interest. I am most disturbed that the Vale of Glamorgan Planning and Development department would be party to obvious cronyism.