If there is a need for 105 residential units there are brownfield sites more appropriate to build on eg Llandow.
Continually extending Cowbridge into green field areas reduces its attractiveness as a desirable location to live.
Stop building in greenfield, agricultural areas. Cowbridge is a historic market town - this is disappearing if you build on the agricultural farming land!

105 additional residential units are NOT required in Cowbridge.
Access is not suitable for pedestrians or vehicles.
Infrastructure is not suitable/available for more residential buildings.
Clare Garden development has already planning permitted but not fulfilled as there is no need and extra capacity is not required.
This is a greenfield site - prime agricultural land being sold for profit not for the needs of the town.
Sustainable and environmental considerations have not been appropriately considered.

1. Dangers associated with point of access on St Athan road. Too narrow + restricted visibility-many accidents over the years.
2. Difficulties and dangers in accessing town and services for those without their own transport e.g those with
pushchairs and young children and users of motorised disability scooters/vehicles.
3. Building on slope and proximity to sewage works could exacerbate the problem of flooding on the valley floor.
4. Unacceptable environmental and visual impact of building.
5. Impact on already overstretched medical services.
6. Impact of additional traffic on surrounding roads.
7. Lack of leisure facilities.

We wish to object to the above development.
The site is inappropriate for building 105 houses especially elderly people with a 12° slope and should be removed from the proposed RLDP. It will not deliver sustainable housing and it will mean a big loss of amenities to the community. The present access has been obtained for agricultural access only, not a 2 way access for traffic from the St. Athan Road. Positioned as it is, on a 90° bend, this makes access from the St. Athan Road travelling southwards extremely dangerous especially for bikes, motor bikes and cyclists. The development is on a green field site in a special landscape area which is against Welsh government policy.
There is unsafe pedestrian access from both Cowbridge and from a southerly direction.

The devlopment will have an adverse impact on the landscape of the Thaw valley, a designated Special Landscape Area and would mean the loss of a rural public foot path. The site is situated at the end of a privately owned and privately maintained lane, namely Windmill Lane. Whilst there is public access through the lane by footpath to the field, vehicular access has only been allowed for agricultural purposes, and for services to the properties adjoining the lane. The residents will have their privacy impacted by the increased pedestrian traffic.
The site has been refused planning permission 3 times in the past. This position has not changed since then.
As an alternative site, why has land on the old Llandow airfield not been considered? This could have access to a rail line nearby.

Thank you for this opportunity to comment before a planning application is made.

About us: We moved into [a house in Cowbridge], living adjacent to and overlooking the field which is the site of the proposed development. Our children attended local schools and have now left Cowbridge. During this time we have watched new developments being built at Hillside Drive, Middlegate Court and Clare Gardens, and understand that an increasing population requires additional housing to be built.

Proposed plans
• The proportion of affordable housing at 40% is welcomed. How affordable will it really be for young adults or those on average incomes for this area?
• What proportion of these houses is accessible for those with disabilities, requiring ramps, wider doorways, lower work surfaces etc?
• How many people do you anticipate living in the development?

Road safety
• The entrance to the development is on a sharp bend. To ensure safety of pedestrians there needs to be a pavement along the St Athan road to the junction of Brookfield park road.
• Whilst adults may use the proposed footpaths via Llanquian Close, Bessant Close and Windmill Lane, I fear teenagers will make the unwise decision to walk along this dangerous stretch of road in the carriageway unless there is a pavement. The same issue applies to cyclists, on this busy and narrow stretch of road. Your plans do not currently indicate if a new pavement and/ or cycle lane will be added.
• Cars pulling out of the development may not be clearly visible to those driving on the St Athan Road. Cars stopping to enter the development may not be visible to other motorists driving around the bends. Some form of traffic control and traffic calming measures, lights or roundabout, may be required where the development joins the main road.
• There is no public transport infrastructure. Please provide a bus stop (layby, pull in) for those children using the bus service from the comprehensive school.


Environmental impact
• Every winter we see flooding of the field adjacent to the river Thaw below the proposed development. Currently the land you are proposing to build on absorbs water. Once roads, houses and driveways cover this land there will be increased water run off downhill to the lower field. The river Thaw may not cope with this extra water. How will the houses at the lower level of the development be protected from flooding as climate emergency worsens?
• All trees should be retained and have a clear role in helping to manage the climate emergency. Taking decades to grow it is only now after many years the trees in Hillside Drive and Brookfield Park are reaching their natural potential. Those trees (currently 3) in the areas earmarked for a communal public open space provide shade, wildlife habitat and will also screen the proposed build from being overlooked by current residential areas. Please ensure all trees are retained, and consider moving planned footpath across public open space to ensure no trees are lost. These trees do not appear to have been included in the tree survey conducted by Treescene.
• Hedgerows around the land should be retained in view of the wildlife habitat they provided.
• New trees should be planted and the proposal should include details of this.
• The land proposed for the development is currently used by many dog walkers and who will probably continue to do so. The plan must include sufficient waste bins to accommodate dog waste.
• Include more waste bins across the development, especially in the public space area, we currently see bins overflowing on the Brookfield park estate by the playground.

Proposed public open space
• Retain all trees and hedgerows as mentioned above. In your plans, the number of trees in the street scene do not match the number of trees on the proposed plan. Vital you are clear which is the reality.
• When we moved into [an address in Cowbridge] in 1990 there was a covenant and council prohibition preventing the playing of ball games in the area, which will make up some of this proposed space. This was to ensure noise and balls entering private gardens did not disturb residents. Is Redrow aware of this protection against undue noise? Will the protection continue as part of the proposed development?
• Alter route of proposed pathway to ensure tress are retained.

Footpaths into residential area
• These footpaths are barely wide enough for pedestrians to pass each other. I am concerned that when cyclists try to use these footpaths there will be accidents and injuries.

Engineering
• Drains and sewage treatment. The current sewage works adjacent to the River Thaw are a major source of rats, which travel along the sewers and drains and have infested both outbuildings and houses on the Brookfield Park estate. Welsh Water is well aware of this problem. It will also be an issue for your housebuyers. Anything you can do to mitigate vermin for all of us would be most welcome. This also adds to my request for more waste bins on the development.

I hope you have found these comments helpful and to enable you to take appropriate actions.

I also have concerns about increased road traffic and demand on public services such as schools and healthcare. These will be raised with the council and planning department at a later date.

I wish to object to the planning application by Redrow Housing for the land between Windmill Lane, Llanblethian, and St Athan Road, Cowbridge on the basis of:

Cowbridge Town Council’s own objections:
Cowbridge Town Council unanimously rejected the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP on 24 February 2026 which makes me infer that little or no involvement of the local council in identifying and discussing the local placemaking criteria and assessment of the various Cowbridge sites has been taken into account.

We live here: we as residents should have our views taken into consideration. Cowbridge Town Council has done this; the Vale Planning Department and its officers rides rough-shod over this by including the site in the RDLP. In short, this development neither adds to the character of Llanblethian and in particular the Thaw Valley, a Special Landscape Area, nor to the societal well-being of current residents.

Environmental and Landscape Impacts Planning Policy for Wales 2021: 6.3.4 Where adverse effects on landscape character cannot be avoided, it will be necessary to refuse planning permission. The proposed development impacts a Special Landscape area and, in my opinion, would damage aesthetic aspect on the land character of the whole Thaw Valley; approaching from St Athan, the new development would be highly visible. The extant housing is well screened by mature hedging and trees from the same approach. Land character may arguably be subjective; however, what is not subjective is the impact on the rural environment which would result from this development. For example, the land slopes towards an area of wetland cum marsh which not only provides a widely vanishing habitat but also a natural soak-away for the land on all sides; the plans show no acceptable protection for this area. (Consider also the increased likelihood of high rainfall events which we are experiencing.)

Further more, I believe the proposed development would destroy high quality (Grade 1, 2 and 3a) agricultural land at a time when food-security is of growing importance.
The impact on the wider environment must also be taken into consideration; as an example, consider the impact of CO2 generation and increased NOx concentrations (unless of course all transport and machinery during that time is electric?) during construction.

Finally, the archaeological importance is as yet not fully understood. Cowbridge prides itself in its historical significance, with not only extensive medieval remains but Roman occupation evidence. Removing from the local area history as-yet undefined Iron-age remains would be a tragedy, which would occur if this was not comprehensively investigated and protected if found to be as predicted.

Character, Place and local Significance of Site: The application appears to have considerable flaws of suitability when compared with other sites proposed in and around the area, especially as Bryn Mellin has many features consistent in impact with others, such as 367 south of Llantwit Major Rd (Amber), 455 Primrose Hill (Red) but is designated Green or “more suitable for development”. This is despite Bryn Melin having very poor access to pedestrian, cycle and bus routes and therefore will result in significant increase in car usage (see further discussion below). This will also likely have significant impact on the residents of Windmill Lane and residents will have their privacy and security impacted by the increased pedestrian traffic caused by the development of the site trying to access Broad Way/Love Lane for
the easiest pedestrian access to Cowbridge.

Housing Density - The application for 105 dwellings is on the basis of a “need” for new housing in Cowbridge. This in itself is not accurate, given the current +450 dwellings with permission to be developed in Clare Gardens, Cowbridge, not all of which have been built. The actual density of housing on the proposed development offers very minimal amenity space (compared to the adjacent Brookfield Park as shown on the Site Location Plan 01), especially for the largest of the proposed dwellings. Environmentally, this also offers little in the way of compensation for the loss of habitats by the destruction of the site in its current agricultural usage, not to mention for the would-be residents.

Furthermore, the site is sloped towards a wet land area (adjacent to the sewage works) so either runoff will reduce due to extensive areas of hard paving resulting from so many dwellings (impacting this seasonally variable habitat) or it will be increased due to the same hard paving, extending the boundaries of the wet land, which could require curtailing by intervention. In either case, there are obvious impacts, although the habitat impacts are by far the most concerning. On this note, while
the Welsh Water document (16aa926b-40b8-11ed-9ff3-000000273616.doc) suggests the sewage works below this wet land area is capable of supporting the proposed development it does note conditions for this and also for potable water supply, especially pre-existing problems with supply. Considering the density of proposed dwellings at 105 (therefore, conservatively, in excess of 300 additional users), this is a lot of extra potable water usage from a supply that at present is considered to have issues and suggests extra reticulation would be required, with its inherent disruption. (The Energy Savings Trust estimates the average UK person uses 142 litres of water per
day and a household of four uses around 349 litres per day. They estimated this increased by 25% during the COVID lockdowns.) Given the range of house sizes (the designs of which are, incidentally, unsympathetic and intrusive, especially for Windmill Lane itself), the probable population increase is also of concern in respect of
the ability of local schools (both primary and secondary) and medical practices, including dentistry, to cope with the increased numbers.

Road Traffic The proposed development density also gives rise to a higher density of cars with the associated environmental and road traffic impacts. Of the 105 dwellings, a number are so-called “affordable” which implies “restricted” incomes: however, so far from amenities such as shops and even a bus stop, these 46 units would still require access to a car. (I could find no reference to access to public transport close to or within the proposed development. At present, the nearest bus stops are at the end of St Athan Road, on Cardiff Road.)

At best, 105 dwellings means 105 extra vehicles. In reality, it would mean considerably more. The impact on the narrow access to St Athan Road and on the existing traffic densities is easily imaginable, notwithstanding the findings of the traffic survey as this survey entirely failed to take
into account traffic accessing St Athan Road at the junction of Broadway prior to the junction with Cardiff Road. Access from Broadway to the aforementioned junction is managed with a "yellow box" on St Athan Road; however, in "normal" weekday morning traffic conditions cars attempting to exit Broadway to access the junction can be delayed through more than one change of lights. If the density of housing is as planned, then traffic out of Broadway to this junction can reasonably be expected to be severely impacted, most especially during term-time. Similarly, traffic intent on accessing Broadway from Cardiff Road must slow immediately on turning into St Athan Road which, given the expected increase in traffic expecting to continue along St Athan Road to the proposed development, increases the likelihood of road traffic collisions. On the subject of term-time traffic, with the development of a primary school on the comprehensive school site, almost all the children from the proposed development would be driven to school along this route. There is a possibility that some children will walk, but my personal experience is that this isn’t a common occurrence, especially in wet (or cold) weather. Cycling even for older pupils would be out of the question due to (perceived?) road safety issues. It should also be noted that Cowbridge would not provide many employment possibilities for the new residents which presumably means increased commuter traffic on the A48.

The current eastbound “on ramp” is inadequate as it stands and access to the westbound A48 would require use of the High Street, which can be congested during peak hours especially during termtime, or using Broadway as a cut-through to access the A48 via Constitution Hill to avoid the bulk of the High Street.

Despite the availability of routes to walk into Cowbridge, it is unlikely that many residents of the proposed site would do this when intending to shop, so road traffic use would remain high as it is a stiff uphill climb! It’s also improbable that many if any would cycle into Cowbridge for the same
reason.

The environmental impact of (an extremely conservative) 105 extra vehicles should also be weighed. It cannot be supposed that many would be electric when occupancy first takes place therefore the emissions impacts, especially for slow moving traffic held at the aforementioned choke point of the junction with Cardiff Road should be of concern and should be quantified.
Vehicular activity during the construction phase should also be considered. The access is, as noted, very narrow and on a dangerous corner. The HGV which will need to access the site on a daily basis, not to mention earth moving plant, during the construction phase will increase the potential for road traffic collisions and disruption. This disruption will impact St Athan Road, especially at the
traffic light at the junction with Cardiff Road, and likely conflict with school children being taken to the Cowbridge Comprehensive and associate primary school.

Highway Safety: child safety Active Travel guidance Wales: The application assumes cycle and walking access to both schools and amenities. In both cases this is flawed: it might be a down-hill approach to the town centre, but it is decidedly uphill which would preclude all but an enthusiastic cyclist and certainly not a child from attempting the return journey on a regular basis (and especially with shopping), whilst it would be impossible for children to walk to school as the access onto St Athan Road would remain narrow and dangerous. Couple this with the fact that all new primary school places will be at the new primary school based at the site of the secondary school (not Broadway, as currently, except for Welsh
speaking pupils) which would require the children to walk along an acknowledged narrow and hazardous footpath, after using a pedestrian crossing on a very busy four-way intersection. The impact of the additional cars taking these children to and from school would not improve general
pedestrian safety, especially since vehicular access is acknowledged to be restricted to a single access point: this cannot be a safe option for 105 dwellings and is not conducive to pedestrian or cycle safety.

Existing “new” developments The development known locally as “Darren Farm” has not yet been fully built: does this not show that Cowbridge is at a point of new-housing limit if not saturation? That site has safer access to
amenities and road transport links that the proposed development on Windmill Lane and yet remains incomplete. There are a number of bus stops within easy walking distance of the “Darren Farm” development: the closest to the proposed development is at the busy intersection of St Athan Road and Primrose Hill/High Street which makes it inaccessible (or at best difficult) for those with mobility issues and children.

Please see below my reasoning for the objection of the inclusion of site 370 in the RLDP. Please can this be logged as an official objection.
The proposed development of this site in the Thaw Valley directly contradicts the Welsh Government’s commitment to protecting Special Landscape Areas. The location has very limited public transport provision, meaning the development would inevitably lead to a significant increase in private car use. Residents would likely rely on cars not only for commuting but also for everyday needs such as shopping, leisure, healthcare, and social activities in the town, placing additional pressure on local roads.
In addition, Cowbridge and Llanblethian Town Council unanimously opposed the inclusion of this site in the RLDP. As the body responsible for the Cowbridge Placemaking Plan, the council is best placed to understand the town’s needs and future development priorities, and its clear opposition should be given considerable weight.

Inappropriate location for development due to lack of infrastructure, floodplain location and dangerous access into main road

Cowbridge with Llanblethian Town Council opposes this scheme.

The Council strongly objected to the scheme in 2022 and concerns still remain. Earlier concerns raised have not been addressed, with an existing planning application being relied upon.

There are concerns around the safety of St Athan Road and the safety of the site, with the steep bend already being dangerous for road users. There is also the requirement for a roundabout, footpaths and cycleways, as the area is also dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians. There are doubts as to the viability of the site.

Land adjoining St Athan Rd, Cowbridge HG1 (6)

Poor vehicular and pedestrian access via dangerous St Athan rd.
Green field adjacent to flood plain. Land requires extensive work to build on, as proved when access collapsed when first installed.
Housing not needed Clare garden village development less than half completed years after starting.

As a resident of the area I should like to state my objections to the above.
1 Bry Melin is part of the Thaw Valley, protected from development as designated an area of special landscape.
2 Access to the proposed site, from St Athan rd , is clearly extremely dangerous , being on a tight bend with severely restricted visibility. It is bound to result in an accident black spot.
3 There will be no accessible public transport and one limited pathway for cycle and pedestrian use leading to increased traffic density exiting from the aforementioned dangerous access.
4 Finally , there is no requirement for additional housing in Cowbridge , at present as we already have a large new estate far from complete, which has been stalled as the developers are unable to sell more properties. The Town council have stated this.

The Bryn Melin site is situated in the Thaw Valley on 10 acres of agricultural land currently grazed by sheep.
It is bordered on the northern edge by an established 1970's housing development. As it stands the land should be considered as 'green wedge land. '

The Vale 'enforces strict policies against building on green wedge land
to prevent urban sprawl.'

The land lies next to Brookfield Park Estate. The merging of this with a new development would be 'urban sprawl. '

The Vale 'maintains green wedges to prevent the coalesce of settlements to protect the countryside.'

Regretfully the coalesce is underway. In 2022 Redrow built a wide,sweeping entrance to the site before obtaining planning permission. This was repaired and adopted by the Vale Council in 2023. It was constructed almost touching the perimeter fence of a garden in Lake Hill Drive in Brookfield Park . The entrance to the field was covered in hardcore and beautiful trees were felled and other groundwork was undertaken.(photos to be provided)
The contractors in 2022had already begun to destroy the 'green lung' you say you wish to preserve. The 'sprawl ' already exists.

Erecting a huge 'motorway style' entrance with barriers and signage has already had an negative visual impact on the area.
The ratings should be RED for site 370

THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

The V.O.G RLDP policy places a strong emphasis on protecting and enhancing the natural environment as part of its response to climate and nature emergencies.

The Bryn Melin site 370 is in the ancient and beautiful Thaw Valley and is a designated Special Landscape Area which should be protected.
It is of important recreational value with a footpath linking Windmill Lane to the St Athan Road which leads the way to other Valeway footpaths in every direction

VOG 3.44
The description of the Vale as a 'distinctive gentle landscape dissected by rivers ,reinforced by thick hedges and woodlands,' almost describes site 370.
VOG 3.48
It will be important to safeguard these areas in responding to climate and nature emergencies.

Safeguarding one of the most distinctive areas in Cowbridge is not to build houses on it.

A more positive approach partly funded by the Vale is 'RESTORE THE THAW LANDSCAPE Project. This initative has helped one of the UK's fastest declining mammals to survive. The vole has been introduced back into the river and is thriving, benefiting the rivers eco system. with otters , herons and plant diversity.

This supports VOG's strategy to focus on and maintain biodiversity with particular attention to protected landscape and species.
This is a symbol of hope for nature recovery, yet the Vale are considering a development so close to the river on a flood plain. This is a conflict of interest and is at odds with your funding to restore the Thaw landscape.

The rating on this significant and unique site should be RED.

TRANSPORT

V.O.G. strategic policy 7SPT
'seeks to shift travel habits from private cars to sustainable modes like walking, cycling and public transport, developing safe routes in communities.'

This aim cannot be fulfilled on site 370.
There is one vehicular access to the site which is built on a dangerous right hand bend on a steep and narrow highway. Turning into or out of the site is hazardous for site traffic or vehicles travelling on the highway. Large vehicles lorries, tractors ,tankers delivery vans often get stuck on the bend and incline, close to the site 370 entrance. Vehicles accelerate to get up the hill.

The narrow width of the highway means there are no pavements . Pedestrians take their life in their hands attempting to walk on the road,.
The proposed access for pedestrians ,cyclists parents with prams/push chairs and the elderly and disabled is fraught with difficulty. The Llanquian Close path way is narrow and does not meet council minimum width requirements. The Windmill Lane private road access is at the top of a 12% slope. Here again there are no pavements and parked or moving cars will be a problem. The end of the Lane ends on the brow of a hill with an intersecting junction. The pavements here are narrow or non existent.
There is no space for bus stops to link passengers from site 370 to the A48 bus service for either Bridgend or Cardiff, which run twice an hour if you are lucky.

Site 370 will not be SAFE for travel by car or on foot. It would result in car dependency and car exhaust and noise pollution .

VOG Policy requires all new projects to provide a safe environment that prioritise an environment that is safe for people of all ages, whether on foot or in a vehicle

The 3 ratings for site370 access and vehicular movement and public transport should be bright RED.

When researching the VOG's aims and policies and the ratings given to the characteristics of site 370, I cannot see the corelation between the evidence and reality of the difficulties of developing site 370 and the scores. Sustainability which seems to bey the key to VOG's policies seems to have been ignored.

It is my fervent hope that the huge amount of time, energy and money that has already been invested in developing the Bryn Melin site by Redrow and the Vale Council since 2018 is not blinding the issues that site 370 presents. This is of great concern.

The sense of place already exists on this land . It is significant and unique. It should be admired and respected. TheThaw Valley landscape under concrete cannot be acceptable. It should be kept GREEN.

I understand there were originally six sites that were submitted for consideration as planning development land for inclusion in the LDP but all were rejected apart from the Bryn Melin site.
I personally consider that Bryn Mellin has many features just as negatively impactful as the other Cowbridge sites but was scored more suitable for inclusion in the development plan.
Bryn Mellin is in the Thaw Valley a designated Special Landscape Area which the Vale of Glamorgan should protect for the residents of Cowbridge – which is a key point in the Cowbridge Placemaking Plan.
The St Athan Road access proposed for the Bryn Melin site is highly dangerous. It is narrow with a severe slope and blind bend position right before access to the site. Pedestrians access to Cowbridge via this road is non existent and school children would have to be transported by car for safety reasons, even though both Primary and Secondary Schools are nearby.
The slope of the site is so severe - it exceeds the national Government PPW guidelines.
National Government Wales Transport Policy requires strict requirements for access to sites via routes with no pavements and restrictive widths. Windmill Lane is such a route fails to meet any of the criteria for providing sage access to pedestrians and cyclists – given that the residents of Windmill Lane need access by car and the lane is too narrow and has no pavement or significant lighting. PPW TAN18 references this fact.
Cowbridge town needs to protect the Thaw Valley which is a designated Special Landscape Area - PPW specifies that Greenfield sites and SLA’s should be protected and Brownfield sites should be prioritised above such sites for development.

I would like to include my opposition to the inclusion of the Bryn Melin site no. 370 in the revised LDP.

1 The site is a Special Landscape Area which should be protected for maintenance of the natural environment. Any building would detract from the visual impact of the area. Also the well-used public footpath needs to be maintained.
2 The site is unsuitable due to the slope of the land. Any lower houses will be overlooked. There is no suitable pedestrian access as Windmill Lane is a private road and the path to Brookfield Park is too narrow eg. buggies or wheelchairs.
3 The road is unsuitable as there is a dangerous bend which will be hazardous for a right turn onto the site. There are no pavements or cycle paths. This will cause extra car travel which will cause congestion at the traffic lights and extra pollution. The site is not easily accessible to public transport whereas Primrose Hill (455) has access to pavements and bus stops. I thought it was Welsh Government policy to attach further developments along train routes.
4 Due to increased car journeys for work (only two buses an hour), shopping, leisure, schools, health and social activities there will be insufficient car parking in town and will detract from the attractiveness of the area.
5 There is already sufficient building work being constructed in Cowbridge for all ages - Darren Farm, the old Girl's High School, the old Police Station/Magistrates Court and a Mccarthy Stone Development.

The proposed development of this site eats into the natural area of the Thaw Valley, and the landscape and habitat of the area. There are more suitable sites surrounding cowbridge that do not have such ecological significance

I have serious concerns about how the Cowbridge sites have been assessed within the RLDP, particularly Site 370 (Bryn Melin) when compared with other sites such as Site 367 (Land south of Llantwit Major Road) and Site 455 (Primrose Hill). The scoring outcomes do not reflect the real environmental and access constraints on the ground. In my view, the assessments do not align with either local evidence or national placemaking principles.
Landscape Setting and Significance
Bryn Melin lies within the Thaw Valley, a designated Special Landscape Area, yet this fundamental constraint appears to have been consistently underweighted. Bryn Melin was scored more favourably than other Cowbridge sites, which is difficult to justify.
Allocating housing within a protected valley landscape directly conflicts with the stated objective of safeguarding valued countryside. Have the planners visited this beautiful site to see the impact. Driving down the hill into Cowbridge you are presented with this glorious view.
Relationship to Existing Development
The scoring for compatibility with surrounding built form is particularly concerning. Bryn Melin received a green rating, even though the Thaw Valley has no established residential density. By contrast, sites 367 and 455, which sit closer to existing development, were scored amber and red. This assessment does not reflect the reality of how development at Bryn Melin would appear as an isolated and intrusive expansion into open landscape.
Local Amenity
The site would alter the character of the valley and diminish the value of a well used public footpath. Importantly, planning permission for this land has previously been refused, and that refusal was upheld on appeal, specifically because of harm to local amenity and the erosion of the footpath’s value to residents.
Access, Movement and Safety
Access to Bryn Melin is materially worse than for the other sites. St Athan Road is narrow and already constrained, and additional HGV and residential traffic would increase risk and delay. There have been several accidents over the years on the corner of the proposed site including an overturned car which was not speeding but nevertheless ended up in the field where the houses would be. The widening of the entrance has not reduced that risk. A motorbike also ended up in the hedge on that corner.
Windmill Lane, a private lane with restricted width and access, would experience increased pedestrian movement, affecting residents’ privacy and security. These impacts are not adequately reflected in the current scoring.
Sustainable Travel and Accessibility
The site’s green rating for public transport and active travel makes no sense. Bryn Melin has no pavements on approach roads, sub standard pedestrian links through Brookfield Park, and limited bus services.
The steep gradient of the site (approximately 12%) further limits accessibility for many users. In contrast, sites 367 and 455 have safer, more direct access to buses, walking routes, and cycling infrastructure.
Development here would increase car dependency, harm a protected landscape, and undermine the character of Cowbridge rather than enhance it. This directly contradicts Welsh Government guidance on sustainability and placemaking.
Local Plan Alignment and Community View
The emerging Cowbridge Placemaking Plan prioritises local identity, sustainable growth, and protection of the town edge environment. Allocating Bryn Melin runs counter to these locally agreed principles.
It is also important to note that Cowbridge Town Council unanimously opposed the inclusion of Site 370 and rejected its allocation on 24/02/2026. This local position has not been given sufficient weight.
Future growth should be directed to locations where access, public transport, and environmental enhancement can genuinely be delivered. Before allocating greenfield land at Bryn Melin, clear and transparent evidence should be provided to demonstrate why less damaging alternatives are unsuitable.

Objection to site 370 (Bryn Melyn Cowbridge) inclusion in RLDP Final Draft Closing date 11.3.26
Comparison sites – Site 367 South of Llantwit Major Rd.
Site455 Primrose Hill

The proposed site viz Bryn Melyn is in the Thaw River Valley which is a designated Special Landscape Area. The Vale of Glamorgan has a duty to protect such a site.
Bryn Melyn 370 received a green status whilst 367 received amber and 455 received red. Bryn Melyn should have received red as there is no current density of housing in the Thaw Valley. Also Bryn Melyn/Thaw Valley has an SLA context.
With regard to the visual impact Bryn Melyn should be red. Why is it not red?

The council has previously refused permission to build because of the fact the development would retract from existing local amenities by changing the character of the road where there would be significant danger to pedestrians,cyclists,motor cyclists and motorised traffic. See photo A. We have experienced many road traffic accidents at this dangerous bend on the Saint Athan road. A new vehicle access would not be a safe and sensible decision at this bend. Also the narrow road does not have a pedestrian pavement. See photo A. There would be a significant increase in noise and vehicle pollution placed on this inclined narrow and dangerous 'blind' bend .
Presently there is a significant build up of traf fic on the Saint Athan Road at busy times leading to the traffic lights at Cowbridge. The traffic light control system operates 3 separate traffic flows. This causes a build up of traffic. If 370 were to to be granted there would be an increase of traffic 'rat run' flow through Bookfield Park Road and the Limes. Local resident have already experienced significant hazards and accidents here. See photo B.
With further regard to pedestrian and other traffic. Windmill Lane is a very narrow single track road. It is totally unsuitable for access to the proposed development. Disruption to residents would be considerable. It is privately owned.
There is also a narrow pedestrian access from 370 to Clare Drive. A professional traffic analyses has condemned this as totally inadequate for the proposed 370 site. This was endorsed by the inspector.
The other proposed sites viz. 367 and 455 do not have these unsurmountable access issues. I am referring to a 12 degree slope on a narrow road and a dangerous 'blind' bend at which point the site access is proposed.
Accessing the limited public transport bus system would be very problematic as there are only 2 buses each way to Cardiff and Bridgend. Currently the buses are unable to run at reliable times and adhere to the timetable.

Images attached: One of the images shows the traffic lights at Cowbridge. This is the approach to the lights coming from the proposed site 370. It is evidence that local people have raised an issue with the dangerous junction controlled by the traffic lights.

An additional point I would like to make is that a dirt track unsurfaced access road has been created during previous construction work on the old field gate. This recent rough road is situated in a water meadow near the river Thaw. This is a major impact on the environment.

I would like to express my objection to development of the proposed Bryn Melin site 370.

Environmentally I feel this is an inappropriate area to develop. The site (and adjoining sites 475/514) are within the Thaw valley designated special landscape area which should be protected.
Development here would destroy the character of the area and significantly impact negatively on the biodiversity and the natural lived experience of the people within Cowbridge. This is against the vale of Glamorgan’s goals to respect landscape a resource, respect scenic quality of an area, respect unspoilt character and integrity, respect the sense of place created by landscape and to conserve these attributes. The valley and the fields, the view, the sense of open space, the footpaths that people can use to walk and enjoy being in nature right next the Cowbridge town are all integral to the sense of character and place of Cowbridge. This section of the valley currently stands alone as a natural vista, and does not have encroachment of suburban development. It is enjoyed by so many. You stand in it and look out, you walk through it, and you can be entirely in the countryside. This is a significant characteristic of a rural town such as Cowbridge and losing this here will represent suburban creep and destruction of this natural character. These attributes would be ruined by development here. I believe other proposed sites such as sites 455 and 367 are better suited to development as these areas are already partially suburbanised and do not have the unspoilt rural views/space/character that the bryn melin and associated sites do.

Ultimately, there is no development currently on the Bryn Melin site, whereas there is already some development within the area of the sites 455 and 367.

Functionally I also have significant concerns about development of Bryn Melin site 370 and the adjoining sites 475 and 514. The transport infrastructure is not supportive of housing here. The St Athan road is small, windy, dangerous with no footpath. There is no public transport within easy walking distance. Amenities are also not within safe or easy walking distance and will necessitate people driving into Cowbridge. This is completely against the Vale’s own goals and ideation when it comes to sustainable and appropriate development. Conversely sites 455 and 367 are well connected with safe easy walking routes into the town centre, and access to public transport.

The site at Bryn Melin is also very steep which environmentally and socially is not a good characteristic for development. The slope is 12% and there is poor access. Again, the sites proposed at 455 and 367 appear more suitable for development with better developed access to the local amenities.

Cowbridge Town Council unanimously rejected the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP on 24/02/2026
As outlined in the Cowbridge Placemaking Plan, local identity, sustainable growth, and protection/enhancement of town character, public spaces and the town-edge environment is incredibly important.
Building on these sites in this unspoilt valley is contrary to these principles and undermines local placemaking desires. There must be sites that are more coherent with the ideals and values of the area?

I would like to object to the development of the Bryn Melin field (site 370 and 475).
I would like to object to houses being built here because I really like walking and playing in the field with my family. I also like the amazing view out across the field and all the other fields. At night time there is very little light and you can see lots of stars. I’ve even seen some shooting stars. During the day time I’ve seen a peregrine falcon a few times so I think he must live in the area. I would be so sad to lose my friend and the lovely space he flies around in. We walk across and down the St Athan road when we walk to st Hilary, and that bit of road always feels really dangerous. It is tight and bendy , there is no footpath, and you can’t see the cars coming. This would be really bad if lots of cars were driving there because of lots of new houses. There are no buses that people could use and the road is very steep. It doesn’t seem like a good place for lots of new houses. It’s a special place where there’s lots of wildlife and you can feel like you’re just in the countryside. There must be somewhere better to build the houses on.

I would like to object to the development of the Bryn Melin field (site 370 and 475).
I would like object to houses being built here because I love walking in the fields and seeing the wildlife. I’ve seen a kingfisher and there’s an owl who lives there too. And lots of other wildlife. The fields are very peaceful and I love the view. I don’t get why you’d build on the field, it would really spoil the countryside. There aren’t any houses or buildings there at the moment and I enjoy the stars at night time because it is much darker than in the town. The road at the bottom is very twisty and there are lots of blind bends. I’ve done road safety with school and it isn’t a safe road for people to walk on, and isn’t a big road for lots of people to be driving on. It doesn’t seem very good for lots of houses to be using. Please find somewhere else.

I am writing to express my objection to the inclusion of the Bryn Melin St Athan Road Cowbridge site in the RDLP. I believe this site to be unsuitable for development based on compliance with Welsh Governemnt policy and the assessment of the site does not appear to be consistent wit scoring of other sites in Cowbridge.

I have set out below my objections in the using the sustainability criteria and were appropriate have compared the Byn Melin site number 370, to two other sites in Cowbridge which seem more suitable for development site 377 south of Llantwit Road and site 455 Primrose Hill Cowbridge.

1. Comparison of visual impact on the landscape
2. Significance of the site to the local area
3. Access to the site by vehicles
4. Compatibility and relationship to to existing settlements
5. Site density in relation to existing settlements
6. Relationship to public transport
7. User accessabiliy
8. Green and active travel opportunites
9. Place character
10. Placemaking outcomes summary
11. Relationship to the Cowbridge Placemaking Plan principles

1. Comparison of visual impact on the landscape
The Bryn Melin site is in the Thaw Valley a Special Landscape Area, which it is important to note, the Vale of Glamorgan is currently spending circa £3.5 million pounds on the Restore the Thaw Project and the Bryn Melin development will have a significant impact on one of the more accessible Thaw Valley areas and as such this site should have been scored red not amberagainst this criteria, as were sites 377 and 455.

2. Significance of the site to the local area
Again why is this site amber the other two sites red. To repeat this is in the Thaw Valley Special Landscape Area and to reiterate should be red. Also the impact on residents of the private road Windmill Lane will be significantly, in relation security, and privacy due to significant increased pedestrian movements as a result of the new homes.

Also it should be taken into account that the Vale have previously refused planning for this site because:
‘ the development would also detract from existing local amenities by changing the character and route of a public footpath which is important to local residents in the area/ And this was endorsed on appeal by the inspector. The value of the length of the footpath crossing the site would be considerably diminished once the site was built upon, whichever direction the path was to take.

What has changed for the paleness to take a different view to include in the RLDP?

3 Access to the site by vehicles
All the three sites are marked amber but with the width restrictions for HGVs and a right turn into the site makes there Bryn Melin site a clear red and this would be obvious to anyone who has visited the site. The over engineered access to the site approved a few years ago for farm machinery gives the impression that in some circles the development of this site has already been pre determined.

4. Site density in relation to existing settlements
Bryn Melin the only site of the three that is scored green yet there is no housing in the Thaw Valley. Again I would argue that this score should be red the planners seem to have ignored the fact the site is in a Special Landscape Area.

5. Site density in relation to existing settlements
All three sites are amber why is this? Without context it is hard to draw a conclusion on this criteria.

6. Relationship to public transport
The other two sites amber yet Bryn Melin green how is this arrived at? Again anyone who has visited the three sites would see that this is the worst site for pedestrian and cycle access and is furthest from bus routes. This should be a red site development will undoubtedly result in a significant increase in car usage due to the poor access to public transport. There is no pavement on any of the roads accessing the sited the paths into Brookfield Park do not meet the minimum width requirements. The other two sites are adjacent to bus routes and have good access to pedestrian and cycle routes.

7. User accessabiliy
Why has the Bryn Melin site no rating which I believe should be red as the slope is 12% and the site has poor access from every side. Yet the other two sites are amber and are much more accessible.

8. Green and active travel opportunities
Again Brtn Melin receives green and the other two amber. The poor access from Brookfield Park and private road Windmill Lane can only mean that the Bryn Melin site is marked red. The other two sites are closer to the main bus route to Cardiff but all developments in rural Communites without frequent ands services or rail routes to Ceadidd and other main employment centres must be questioned and are contrary to Welsh Governemnt transport and travel policy.

9. Place character
The readings of the three sites appears to be inconsistent and the scores particularly in relation to access and transport are not logical and put into question as to whether the sites have been visited as required in the RDLP process.

10. Placemaking outcomes summary
The Bryn Melin site is scored green. This seems to be an incorrect decision as the inclusion of the site in RDLP of the site in the Thaw Valley is in contradiction to Welsh Governemnt policy to protect Special Landscape Areas. Linked to the site having no public transport and development will result in a material increase in car usage on a dangerous road for work and leisure activities, increasing congestion at the traffic lights at the bottom of Primrose Hill at peak times which will an issue for local residents during and build period with large HGVs delivering to site over number of years on a unsuitable road. The Primrose Hill junction already very busy due to school traffic at peak times.

The report says:
Development of the site (Bryn Melin) has the potential to enhance the character of the area and contribute positively to national sustainability and placemaking principles. A planning statement has been provided in support of the current planning permission which sets out how the proposal would respond its setting and location in relation to placemaking.
This stamen can’t possibly be supported as the development can’t enhance the character of the area when the landscape and a public footpath will be destroyed and local habitats and stepping stones will be affected and traffic flows on a rural road will increase significsantly.
The Primrose Hill site 455 is Amber
Development of site is likely to have a neutral / negligible effect on local character and sense of place (subject to the development providing mitigation measures and/or meeting specific policy requirements).
Land South of Llantwit Major Rd 367 is red.
Development of site will likely be detrimental to local character and sense of place
This site is opposite the Claire Garden Village and would, in my view, be far less detrimental to the character of the Arae the the Brtyn Melin site
It should be noted that Cowbridge with Llanblethian Town Council who has played a leading role in developing the town’s Placemaking Plan is opposed to the inclusion of the Bryn Melin site in the RLDP but is open to supporting a more suitable site such as 377 other 455.
11. Relationship to the Cowbridge Placemaking Plan Principles
Cowbridge Placemaking Plan places aa high store on local identity, sustainable growth and protecting and enhancing the character of the town, public spaces and edge of town environment. The Bryn Melin site is in direct contradiction to these stated aims and undermines the towns Placemaking Plans and principles. To reiterate the Town Council is unanimously opposed the development of Bryn Melin site..
In conclusion I oppose this site being included in the RLDP as it is unsuitable for the reasons outlined above and there are more suitable sites in the town. Also, its inclusion is contrary a number of Welsh Governemnt policies, such as bio diversity, green infrastructure and transport policy.
I hope these reprentaions will receive due consideration.

This document sets out the planning, sustainability, transport, and landscape reasons why Site 370 (Bryn Melin) should not be included as a residential allocation within the Local Development Plan.

Cowbridge is not a high employment location. Cowbridge has no Mass Transport System.

Cowbridge has undergone a major expansion with approximately 530 additional homes approved since 2018. This expansion has already stretched capacity on the high street and feeder roads, and parking areas are extremely stretched, and yet there are still more than 150 houses of this allowance to be completed.

The topography of the town centre is such that it sits in a bowl with steep gradients from the centre to outlying residential spaces which includes Llanblethian.

Cowbridge population has a higher-than-average older resident age group, so a higher-than average proportion of the population do not walk or cannot walk the distance, they drive to the shopping areas, health facilities and schools.

Thus, Cowbridge does not fit an average road users traffic profile and traffic has a higher proportion of cars per household than average also. This site represents 105 approx. dwellings in an overall plan of 8700. This represents an allocation of merely 1.25% approx. Why are the Council planners so determined to contravene National Government Planning Policy Wales for such little value There are other better suited and sustainable locations within Cowbridge and the wider Vale as a whole.
Site 370 is poorly connected to sustainable or mass public transport and would result in car dependent development. This contradicts Welsh Government Policy (PPW)

Development would harm the landscape setting within the Thaw Valley Special Landscape Area. This contradicts Welsh Government Policy (PPW) The development will rely on pedestrian access via Windmill Lane, which is a constrained rural lane without pedestrian infrastructure and is unsuitable as a primary access corridor. This presents real safety concerns as described in an independent Safety Audit undertaken by Lime Transport Ltd. This contradicts Welsh Government Policy (PPW) (TAN18)

The gradient and topography of the site raise engineering, drainage, and deliverability concerns which are adding significant cost to the development and increasing the Carbon Footprint. This contradicts Welsh Government Policy Note reference to this feature was totally omitted in the Sustainability assessment and this misrepresentation therefore favours this site inclusion.

Cowbridge Town Council and local residents have raised clear safety concerns regarding this site’s inclusion due to the increased car traffic across already high-capacity roads and junction on the East side of the town. The sharp Bends and incline adjacent to the sites access and entry have been identified as high risk to traffic users, within the Lime Transport Road Safety Audit and this will be further exacerbated during construction phase. Including this site demonstrates a complete lack of respect for Welsh Government Policy promoting sustainable transport and placemaking.

This representation objects to the inclusion of Site 370 (Bryn Melin) within the Vale of Glamorgan Replacement Local Development Plan. The site fails to meet key planning principles relating to sustainable transport, safe access, landscape protection, and placemaking. The land occupies a sensitive position on the edge of Cowbridge and contributes to the wider rural setting associated with the Thaw Valley landscape. Development in this location would extend the urban form of the town into open countryside and introduce significant landscape change.

1. Lack of Sustainable Transport Welsh planning policy promotes development in locations supported by sustainable transport. The Bryn Melin site is not served by high-capacity public transport and therefore future residents would likely rely heavily on private vehicles for daily travel. A bus service to Cardiff offering 2 buses per hour at peak times does not equate to mass transport access. Such a pattern conflicts with national objectives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and encouraging sustainable travel behaviour.

2. Landscape and Thaw Valley Setting The site contributes to the wider landscape setting of the Thaw Valley, which has been identified as a Special Landscape Area within the Vale of Glamorgan. Development on rising ground would be visually prominent and would extend suburban form into countryside currently forming part of the valley landscape. This would erode the rural character and scenic quality associated with the Thaw Valley setting. Planning Policy Wales talks of efficient use of land and prioritising Brown Field sites and protecting boundaries of open countryside. Vale of Glamorgan planners are ignoring this.

3. Topography and Deliverability The gradient across the site introduces engineering challenges which may require extensive earthworks, retaining structures, and complex drainage infrastructure Such interventions can increase environmental impact while also affecting the economic and design viability of development. The site access on the St Athan Road will present Road Traffic incidents for existing car users who will be forced to face numerous fully laden Heavy Goods Vehicles throughout the period of construction. This will place commuting and servicing traffic on the ST Athan Road at risk for a period of 12 months or more. The council has a Duty of Care to ensure Road traffic users are not placed in harm’s way by knowingly permitting HGV traffic increase on the narrow St Athan road. Sites with fewer constraints should logically be prioritised.

4. Impact on the Setting of Cowbridge Cowbridge is valued for its historic character and relationship with surrounding countryside. The Bryn Melin land currently helps maintain a clear transition between the town and rural landscape of the Thaw Valley. Development would extend the built edge into open countryside and alter this relationship, potentially diminishing the distinctive character of the settlement.

5. Sequential and Spatial Strategy Test National planning policy requires local authorities to prioritise development in the most sustainable locations. Both Planning Policy Wales and Future Wales – The National Plan 2040 promote a “town centre first” and sustainable settlement hierarchy approach. The Bryn Melin site sits on the edge of the settlement pattern and is not strongly connected to sustainable transport infrastructure. As alternative sites exist closer to services or public transport, those should be prioritised. This site fails the sequential test of sustainability.

6. Rural Lane Capacity and Safety Precedent Planning decisions across Wales consistently recognise that narrow rural lanes without pedestrian infrastructure are unsuitable as primary access routes for major residential development. Technical Advice Note 18: Transport emphasises safe access and protection of vulnerable road users. Windmill Lane’s constraints present a clear safety issue, and required engineering works would further harm the landscape and compromise existing resident’s quality of life.

7. Placemaking and Well-Being of Future Generations Development reliant on constrained rural access, limited public transport, and car dependent travel would not meet sustainable placemaking principles. It risks creating a community that fails to deliver walkable, connected, and inclusive living environments, which is contrary to national well-being objectives

8. Better Suited Alternatives Cowbridge is not a place of high employment. It is not served by a mass transport system. The recent Clare Village development in Cowbridge will, upon completion, have provided 475 homes which will represent a 22% increase in housing population alone since 2018. Additional sites such as the Old 6th form block and the development of the Local police station will add approximately a further 60 homes, a mix of retirement and Social housing. These additional residences have yet to complete and already the town is suffering congestion and serious restricted mobility especially on the eastern Junction of the St Athan Road and Primrose Hill. The addition of a further 100 homes, with multiple cars per household being the most likely scenario, as there is no mass transport system in Cowbridge, and this particular site having no infrastructure for safe pedestrian or cycling routes for all ranges of mobility and age groups, as TAN18 requires, will likely be the Straw that breaks the camel’s back. Cowbridge has a high percentage of older age residents and given the town centre is in a bowl surrounded by steep elevations to the residential areas driving to the local shopping areas is undertaken by a very high proportion of residents. This creates major traffic obstructions through the town.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council, and their planners, needs to understand and accept that developing any site in Cowbridge would fail the Welsh Government Place Making and Transport Directives. Continuing to develop Cowbridge is irresponsible and demonstrates a complete lack of respect for Welsh Government policy and for the people of Cowbridge. Brownfield sites in areas served with mass transport capability do exist within the Vale. They are not in Cowbridge.

I would like to register my objection to the development site Bryn Melin, Thaw Valley Cowbridge.

Sustainability
Certainly feel the above does not meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future needs.
This development will have an adverse impact on residents living on windmill lane/private lane at Brookfield park. A complete strain on local services + infrastructure eg. difficult to get doctors appt + schools capacity. Site not connected to public transport thus reliance on increased car use. Cowbridge cannot handle this increased capacity. As for the proposed access to the side off the St. Athan lane, how can it even been considered, so narrow & dangerous, accidents pedestrians. waiting to happen, also not foot path for pedestrians. This site development will harm nature + destroy habitat. It is constantly used for agricultural purposes, currently sheep with their lambs. I would also like to add that Clave Gardens is still not completed, the dreadful buildings instead of the 6th form school on Aberthin Road, future planning permission on land off the Slip road onto the A48 towards Bridgend, also the development to the police station in Cowbridge.

So I must ask why the need for this undesirable, unnecessary development, which can not possibly enhance the character of the area.

I object to the inclusion of site 370 - Bryn Melin - in the RLDP because the inclusion is not based on robust evidence and does not align with policy.
Thank you for your transparency in sharing some details of the assessments made on the candidate sites. By comparing the assessments made on three similar sites in Cowbridge, speficically Bryn Melin 370, South of Llantwit Major Road 367 and Primrose Hill 455, it becomes apparent that the assement criteria have not been applied in a uniform manner accross these sites.

Specifically:
Relationship to and compatibility with existing built form…
The Thaw Valley does not currently have any dense housing so adding dense housing cannot meet the criteria of compatible. However site 370 is graded green , site 367 amber and 455 red. This is clearly not a uniform application of the standard.

Density of the proposal in relation to existing developments
Same as above. How can the same rules have been applied to the three sites and yet Bryn Melin receives a green and the other sites are amber.

Vehicular access to site
Access from the St Athan road will create a significant safety hazard. This has been shown in an independent traffic survey provided to the council. It has also been recognised in previous reviews because previous inclusion in the LDP was based on the adjacent site being co-developed and the land being used to modify the road. Despite these facts Bryn Melin receives the same amber rating as the other two sites. This is not uniform application of the standard.

Access to Public Transport, pedestrian cycle routes
Bryn Melin is rated green and the other two sites are rated amber. Pedestrian and cycle access is similar on all three sites. The only public transport serving cowbridge is the X2. Are you arguing that the X2 drivers will refuse to accept residents from Bryn Melin as passengers? There is not other way the rating could be different for the three sites.

Placemaking Outcome Summary
Bryn Melin 370 gets a green. The inclusion of Bryn Melin was unanimously opposed by the Cowbridge and Llanblethian local council, the site has a slope of 12% making it difficult to meet a range of policy goals. It is situated in the beautiful Thaw Valley and the St Athan road access is completely unsuitable. If the assessment rules were applied uniformly then the summary would be red.

Please can someone explain why the assement rules have not been applied uniformly accross all sites?

Remove the site from the RLDP.

We wish to object to the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP as follows:-

o Peacemaking, Character and Place
The area of Bryn Mellin in the Thaw Valley should be protected as it is a designated Special Landscape Area

o Relationship to & compatibility with existing built form, layout, scale density, building types
The area of Bryn Mellin is given a green rating but given there is no current density of housing in the Thaw Valley, it should be red

o Visual Impact on landscape/streetscape/historic environment
Bryn Mellin has been given an amber rating but as Thaw Valley is a Special Landscape Area, the rating should be red

o Significance of the site to the area
Bryn Mellin/Thaw Valley is a Special Landscape Area so should be given a red rating (& not amber)
In addition, the development would change the character & route of a public footpath & so would detract from existing local amenities

o Access to Site vehicular movement
St Athan Road has severe width restrictions and such a development would increase traffic, so increasing the risk of accidents. In addition whilst being built, HGV Site traffic & HGV traffic turning into the site would cause major delays & increase the risk of accidents
In addition, the inclination of the slope and layout would result in a significant increase in the carbon footprint

o Access to public transport, pedestrian/cycle routes
Bryn Mellin does not have easy access to pedestrian, cycle and bus routes. Hence, the Bryn Mellin development will result in a significant increase in car usage
In addition, there are no pavements on any roads accessing the Bryn Mellin development and the walkway from Brookfield Park does not meet Council Minimum Widths.
The rating for the Bryn Mellin development should be red.

o Whether the Site appears accessible to all users
No rating given but it should be red because of the poor access & the slope of the site

o Opportunities for enhancing green infrastructure/active travel
The development of Bryn Mellin will have a significant detrimental impact, in terms of privacy & security, on the residents of Windmill Lane and Brookfield Park
Bus services to Cardiff (the main employment centre in the area) are only 2 buses per hour at peak times. This will encourage Bryn Mellin residents to drive, increasing the carbon footprint
Bryn Mellin should receive a red rating

o Placemaking Outcome Summary
Thaw Valley is a Special Landscape Area and should be protected. It has no significant public transport capability and hence will increase use of private car journey for shopping, leisure & work
The Cowbridge & Llanblethian local council unanimously opposed the sites inclusion in the RLDP
This development does not enhance the character of the area, destroys the public footpath & adversely affects local inhabitants.
The rating should be red.

o Emerging Placemaking Principles for Cowbridge
The draft Cowbridge Placemaking Plan emphasises local identity, sustainable growth and protection and enhancement of town character, public spaces & the town-edge environment.
The Bryn Mellin development on greenfield land is contrary to these principles and undermines locally articulated Placemaking ambitions.
Cowbridge Town Council unanimously rejected the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP ON 24/02/2026.

o Conclusion and Proposed Changes
Given the above points, we do not believe the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP is appropriate and therefore object to the proposal

I respectfully request that it be removed from the RLDP.

I am writing to formally object to the inclusion of Site 370 (Bryn Mellin) in the RLDP Final Draft.

The site lies within the Thaw Valley Special Landscape Area, and development in this location would undermine the need to protect the character, environmental quality, and rural setting of this sensitive landscape. The current assessment appears to underestimate the impact of development, particularly in relation to the site’s compatibility with the existing built form, its visual impact on the landscape, and its environmental significance. Given the low housing density and rural character of the surrounding area, development of this scale would be out of keeping with the existing landscape and should therefore be rated red rather than green or amber in the relevant placemaking assessments.

The proposal would also negatively affect an established public footpath within the area, reducing the value of an important local recreational amenity.

Access to the site presents further concerns. St Athan Road is narrow and subject to width restrictions, and additional traffic generated by a development of this scale would increase congestion and raise safety risks. Construction traffic, including heavy goods vehicles, would likely cause significant disruption. The steep gradient of the site would also contribute to higher carbon impacts associated with development and access.

The site is poorly served by public transport and lacks adequate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. There are no pavements along the roads serving the site, and existing paths do not meet the Council’s minimum width standards. As a result, future residents would be heavily reliant on private vehicles, which conflicts with sustainable transport objectives.

The draft Cowbridge Placemaking Plan emphasises the importance of protecting the town’s character, local identity, and surrounding landscape. Development of Bryn Mellin on greenfield land would conflict with these principles. In addition, Cowbridge and Llanblethian Community Council and Cowbridge Town Council have both unanimously opposed the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP.

For these reasons, the allocation of Site 370 is considered inappropriate, and I respectfully request that it be removed from the RLDP.

Deposit Plan Consultation RLDP 2021 - 2036
Objections to the Inclusion of Candidate Site - ID 370 Bryn Melin, Cowbridge in the RLDP
2021 -2036
Summary of Objections
My objections are detailed in full below this summary.
1. The site has unsafe access for vehicles, pedestrians & cyclists – three different areas of concern are St Athan Road, Windmill Lane & Bessant Close (Brookfield Park).
2. Planning applications have been refused in the past with the same reasons for refusal relevant today.
3. Special Landscape Area. The site is visible from a wide area. Building houses on this site will have a detrimental impact visually on a very pretty area.
4. Inconsistencies with excluding other Cowbridge sites from the RLDP, the reasons for their exclusion should also apply to this site.
1a. Access – Road Safety – St Athan Road – Significance of the site to the area
According to the planning application 2022/00958/FUL, “The horizontal geometry of St Athan Road
in the immediate vicinity of the site is also challenging with an almost 90 degree bend in the road on the frontage of the site access.”
The right turn from Cowbridge into the candidate site would be very dangerous for the driver or cyclist as the bend obscures their view of the road ahead (see photograph 4 below).
Similarly turning right from the candidate site onto St Athan Road will also be blind and dangerous (see photograph 3 below) there is also another sharp bend (about 50m away) further up the St Athan Road towards Cowbridge. Large vehicles need to cross over the double white lines to drive around this other bend (see photographs 1,2 & 5 below).
The St Athan Road is particularly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, there are no pavements or street lighting on this road, increased traffic from the candidate site will only make the road more dangerous for everyone regardless of their mode of transport.
Access is dangerous and additional traffic from this site would increase congestion along St Athan Road at the traffic lights in Cowbridge and by the school on the Aberthin Road.

1b. Access – Road Safety – Windmill Lane – Significance of the site to the area
Windmill Lane is a quiet, private, unadopted narrow lane with no pavement and only two small street lights, there is a pedestrian right of way along the lane but cycling (other than for residents or their visitors) is not permitted.
Many residents of the lane have to reverse out of their drives into it, even driving forward from your drive means you have to be very careful. It will be very dangerous and serious accidents will occur if cyclists from the candidate site are allowed to cycle up and down the lane. The motorist will more than likely be blamed for the accident despite the actions of the cyclist (speed, not concentrating etc).
Windmill Lane slopes down to Broadway from the field (Bryn Melin site) and cyclists can build up a considerable speed over this distance. The lane also narrows towards Broadway and there is no room for a car and bike to pass each other safely without one stopping (see photographs below). Also turning left into Windmill Lane from Broadway a motorist is unable to see a car or bike on this bottom
stretch of the lane until they have turned into it (see photograph below -Refer to attached PDF )

There is no safe access for pedestrians or cyclists due to the lack of a pavement or adequate street lighting. This also applies to the proposed access to / from Bessant Close (Brookfield Drive).

2. Refused Planning Applications in the past
Planning permission for this site has been refused in the past. Please see below for details of the failed application in 1980: Enquiry held on 3-6 June 1980 at the Duke of Wellington Hotel in Cowbridge Appeal by Northway Bros and the Land Authority for Wales against the refusal to allow residential development in the land adjoining St Athan Road, South of Brookfield Park
Reasons for the refusal of planning permission are :-
1. The proposal would result in an undesirable and conspicuous extension to the built up area of Cowbridge southwards into the attractive open countryside comprising the Upper Thaw valley which area has been identified as being of special landscape character in the structure plan.
2. The proximity of the site the existing sewage works would result in an unsatisfactory form of development by virtue of the smell affecting the amenities of the site.
3. The scale of the development would increase the strain on existing facilities in the area
4. The proposal is located in a ‘white area” on the Cowbridge Town map where it is the policy of the local planning authority that in order to protect the countryside, no development shall take place other than in the interests of agriculture, forestry or the working of minerals.
The proposal is premature to the preparation of a local plan for Cowbridge (and district) and approval of ad hoc developments at this time would substantially prejudice the implementation of such a plan.

3. Special Landscape Area
The views from the public footpath through the middle of the field (Candidate site 370) from Windmill Lane to St Athan Road at present are of the open countryside of the neighbouring Upper & Lower Thaw Valley (Special Landscape Area) and beyond. Also the views from the surrounding area back towards the site would be an unpleasant one of houses rather than of the existing greenfield site with grazing sheep and cows.
This field used to be designated a Special Landscape Area but that was removed presumably to enable
the field to be included in the original Local Development Plan. If this field wasn’t a candidate site it would still be designated as a Special Landscape Area. In addition allowing this site in the RLDP will have an adverse impact on the adjacent Special Landscape Area.
4. Inconsistency
Other candidate sites in Cowbridge will not be included in the RLDP for reasons that are all also applicable to this candidate site. This shows inconsistency. This site (370) appears to be the only site in the Rural Vale listed in the Candidate Site Stage 2 Assessment Register (Background Paper – BP18A) under “Sites suitable for further consideration”.
All the other 8 candidate sites in Cowbridge and Llanblethian are listed in this document under “Not
suitable for further consideration”.
The following “Conclusions at Preferred Strategy Stage” in Background Paper – BP18A for five of these sites are listed as:
1. The site would represent unacceptable intrusion in to the open countryside. The site is located on the outskirts of Cowbridge and not conveniently situated for walking, cycling and public transport accessibility. Site ID 438 Land to the South of Church Rd, Llanblethian.
2. The site would represent unacceptable intrusion in to the open countryside. Development is likely to result in a substantial change in character and/or significant adverse effects on landscape character and visual amenity. Site ID 455 Land North of Primrose Hill
3. The development of this site would be an arbitrary incursion into the countryside in this location.
Development will significantly affect stepping stones, green networks, or wildlife corridors. Site ID 514 Land East of St Athan Road
4. The development of this site would be an arbitrary incursion into the countryside in this location.
Site ID 555 Land off Vale Court, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan
All four of the above “conclusions” are also very relevant to site 370 (Bryn Melin) which should therefore (according to consistency) be removed from the sites suitable for further consideration in the document “Conclusions at Preferred Strategy Stage” in Background Paper – BP18A and reallocated within the document to sites not suitable for further consideration. As previously said it is the only site in the whole of the Rural Vale included in this category:
5. The site is allocated in the adopted LDP and is considered suitable to be‘rolled forward’ as an RLDP housing allocation as it is considered to be deliverable and accords with the Strategy. The site is subject to a planning application. Site ID 370 Bryn Melin
Site 370 is already in the current LDP, a planning permission application is in progress. It seems very likely that this is the reason why this site is to be included for further consideration. When compared to the 8 other sites in the Rural Vale (Cowbridge & Llanblethian) there are many similarities that should cause the status of the site to be changed to not suitable for further consideration.
Reasons for the other sites being excluded: - The site would represent unacceptable intrusion in to the open countryside. - The site is located on the outskirts of Cowbridge. - Development is likely to result in a substantial change in character and/or significant adverse effects on landscape character and visual amenity. - The development of this site would be an arbitrary incursion into the countryside in this location. All the above are very relevant to site 370 but are ignored. This shows inconsistency.
5. Other Considerations
There is no public transport for the site, developing this site will result in a significant increase in car use with the obvious problems this will cause including environmentally.
This site fails as it will not be accessible to all users. According to the current planning application the slope of the field is 1 in 6 (17%) the new housing development would also have a steep gradient, pushing a wheelchair or a pram up or down such a gradient would be very difficult and very dangerous (particularly should someone trip over while doing so), such a slope would also cause problems for someone with limited mobility. From experience I know that pushing a wheelchair up and down Windmill Lane, which is not a steep slope, was difficult enough.
It is currently very difficult to get an appointment to see a doctor or dentist in Cowbridge, with more houses being built the wait for these appointments will be even longer.
At present it is not easy to park in Cowbridge with the additional cars from more housing developments it will become even harder to find spaces. People will then decide not to shop in Cowbridge but drive to the out of town stores where they can park.
Loss of a greenfield site which has a very popular and well used public footpath running through it. Once it is built on it will be lost forever. Developing this land will have a detrimental effect on the local character and contribute negatively to the sustainability of the area.

This is the land that will be lost forever. Please protect this site from development and retain it as agricultural open countryside.
Cowbridge Town Council unanimously rejected the inclusion of Site 370 in the RDLP in a meeting on 24th February 2026. They are responsible for the Cowbridge Placemaking Plan which is in place (amongst other priorities) to protect public spaces and the town-edge environment.
Inconsistencies and other facts listed above show that the inclusion of Site ID 370 Bryn Melin in the RLDP is not appropriate regardless of whether planning permission has been applied for.
Due to the reasons given above I am objecting to the inclusion of Candidate Site – ID 370 Bryn Melin
in the RDLP 2021 -2036.

I wish to formally object to the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP Final Draft on the following grounds:

Peacemaking, Character and Place
The Bryn Mellin area within the Thaw Valley should be preserved due to its designation as a Special Landscape Area. Development in this location would be inconsistent with the need to protect the character and environmental quality of this sensitive landscape.

Relationship to and Compatibility with Existing Built Form
Although Bryn Mellin has been assigned a green rating, this assessment appears inappropriate. The Thaw Valley currently contains very limited housing density, and development of this site would be out of keeping with the surrounding rural character. Consequently, the site should instead receive a red rating.

Visual Impact on Landscape, Streetscape and Historic Environment
The site has been given an amber rating for visual impact; however, as the Thaw Valley is designated as a Special Landscape Area, development would have a significant adverse effect on the landscape. The rating should therefore be red.

Significance of the Site to the Area
Bryn Mellin and the wider Thaw Valley are of particular environmental importance due to their Special Landscape Area designation. For this reason, the site should be classified as red rather than amber. Furthermore, development would alter the character and alignment of an existing public footpath, thereby diminishing the value of a local recreational amenity.

Access to the Site and Vehicular Movement
St Athan Road is subject to significant width restrictions. Additional traffic generated by a development of this scale would increase congestion and the risk of accidents. During the construction phase, heavy goods vehicles accessing the site and manoeuvring into it would likely create considerable delays and further safety concerns. In addition, the steep gradient and layout of the site would result in an increased carbon footprint associated with development and access.

Access to Public Transport and Pedestrian/Cycle Routes
Bryn Mellin does not benefit from convenient access to public transport, pedestrian routes, or cycle infrastructure. As a result, the development would inevitably lead to increased reliance on private car use. There are also no pavements along the roads serving the site, and the walkway from Brookfield Park does not meet the Council’s minimum width standards. The site should therefore receive a red rating.

Accessibility for All Users
Although no rating has been assigned under this criterion, the site should be rated red due to poor access arrangements and the steep gradient across the site, which would present difficulties for many users.

Opportunities for Enhancing Green Infrastructure and Active Travel
The proposed development would have a significant negative impact on the privacy and security of residents in Windmill Lane and Brookfield Park. Bus services to Cardiff—the main employment centre in the region—operate only twice per hour during peak times, which would further encourage reliance on private vehicles and increase carbon emissions. Bryn Mellin should therefore be rated red.

Placemaking Outcome Summary
The Thaw Valley’s status as a Special Landscape Area means it should be protected from development of this nature. Limited public transport provision means that residents would rely heavily on private cars for commuting, shopping, and leisure. Cowbridge and Llanblethian Community Council has unanimously opposed the inclusion of this site in the RLDP. The proposed development would harm the character of the area, disrupt the existing public footpath, and negatively affect local residents. Accordingly, the site should be given a red rating.

Emerging Placemaking Principles for Cowbridge
The draft Cowbridge Placemaking Plan highlights the importance of maintaining local identity, supporting sustainable growth, and protecting the character of the town, its public spaces, and its surrounding landscape. Development of Bryn Mellin on greenfield land conflicts with these principles and undermines the stated placemaking objectives for the area. Cowbridge Town Council unanimously rejected the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP on 24 February 2026.

Conclusion and Proposed Changes
In light of the issues outlined above, I believe that the inclusion of Site 370 within the RLDP is inappropriate. We therefore formally object to its allocation.

I am objecting to the inclusion of the site no 370 (Bryn Melin) in the RLDP. I have set out my reasons below. I am challenging the soundness of the assessments leading to its inclusion and questioning whether the assessment process has been objectively implemented.
1. The greenfield current site is not the site included in the existing LDP despite assertions in the RLPD that it is. It does not include an adjacent field necessary to comply with the qualification in the existing LDP to align the St Athan Road – an action necessary to remove significant risk to road users and those entering and exiting the site.
2. Sustainability – The stage 3 sustainability assessment carried out for this site and others in Cowbridge calls into question the assessment method and its deployment. The failure to understand the local environment and topography of the Cowbridge sites and in particular site 370 in the assessment gradings has led to patently incorrect assessments. When the actual environment and topography is taken into account, the RLDP sustainability assessment seems skewed to include site 370 despite its obvious unsuitability simply because there is an existing 3.5 year old planning application. The specific areas of concern are :-
- Narrow road and dangerous entrance and exit – confirmed by an expert independent risk assessment.
- Very limited access to and from the site
- No provision for cyclists despite the Policy to do so.
- The site has a hill with gradient of up to 12% running through its centre.
- Despite being in a Special Landscape area, the assessment score of Green ++ cannot be supported. No mitigation measures will hide the development from view.
- Understanding the habitats in and around the site by local residents has been ignored. Evidence is available that Badgers, slow worms, Red Kites and Otters in the nearby river Thaw are significant.
This failure to reflect local obvious characteristics calls into question the Sustainability assessment process.
3. Transport – Cowbridge residents generally work away from the Town and drive to get to their place of work. The only public transport is a bus to Cardiff or Porthcawl. The centres of employment mean that the bus is not a viable means for transport to work for most people despite the score in the Sustainability Assessment.
4. Viability – It is rare that viability features in Local development plans. Recent research indicates that this aspect is important in making decisions on where development has a good chance of being built and should take place. In the case of Site 370, there is good information relevant to this site posted in the Planning documents in 2025. The current percentage of Social Housing in a development of this size is 40% (35% when the planning Application was submitted). The viability clearly shows that the development of this site is not viable if the Welsh Policy on Social Housing is insisted upon. The difficult site elements (above) add to the cost of development. It would only be viable if social housing percentage is reduced to 18% and the payment to the local authority and cost of the land substantially reduced. The viability assessments support the conclusion that the site is not sustainable and should not be included..
5. Alternatives – If the sustainability assessments of the Cowbridge sites had been conducted with a clear understanding of the local environment, sites other than 370 (Bryn Melin) would provide a better alternative.

Retain the site within open countryside, protected under relevant rural policies. Focus future growth where environmental and green infrastructure enhancement can be delivered, supporting the Vale’s biodiversity network and placemaking aspirations. Provide clear, transparent evidence (with up-to-date landscape and ecological assessments) for any Greenfield allocation before plan submission. Provide clear evidence that alternative sites are less appropriate before extending Cowbridge’s physical footprint.

Placemaking, character and place
Bryn Melin is in the Thaw Valley, a designated Special Landscape Area which the Vale of Glamorgan should protect.

Why, when there are many features that have the same impact as other areas of suggested Cowbridge sites, was the Bryn Melin deemed to be more suitable for development ? Why is this? Could it be because the owners of the field have already been chasing developers and therefore it looks to be a better financial option ?

May I remind you of BP 16 which states:-
“Where there are a few sites within a settlement, those which score overall proportionately positively against the criteria shall be ranked above those which result in a disproportionate number of negative scores”

Landscape and Character - Impact on community character and landscape
Development on this site would result in “urban sprawl” eroding the distinct character of the town and contribute to the gradual destruction of the “green lung” of Cowbridge.
It should be noted that the visual impact of the landscape would be totally destructive in so many ways.

Relationship to and compatibility with existing built form, layout, scale density, building types
It is interesting to note that in the colour banding system of grading land for development, Bryn Melin 370, gets green, 367 south of Llantwit Major gets amber ,and 455 Primrose Hill gets red. This system of grading seems to have ignored totally the Thaw Valley Special Landscape Area context. Why ?

Significance of the site to the area
Again, this demonstrates the same issue of the colour coding assigned to proposed potential development sites.
Again, 367 and 455 have been given a red coding and Bryn Melin and amber. Bryn Melin should be red.
Why is there a constant blatant disregard of the Special Landscape Area context ?

There would be significant impact upon the residents of Windmill Lane. This quiet, private, residential road would be turned into a pedestrian main thoroughfare. This leads to safety issues for those using it.
The lane is very narrow in places and there are concerns for those walking with pushchairs, young children, wheelchair and buggy users. In these narrow sections there would not be an adequate amount of room to allow safe passage.
NB - It should be noted that in the recent past the council had refused permission because in changing the character and route of a public footpath, it would detract from the existing local amenities. This path is important to so many locals in the area. This was further endorsed on appeal by the Inspector. It was stated that the value and length of the footpath crossing the site would considerably diminish once the site was built upon, whichever direction it took.

Visual Impact on landscape/streetscape/historic environment
Following on from the point made above noting Thaw Valley Special Landscape Area, sites 367 and 455 have a red rating for visual impact and Bryn Melin has an amber. Clearly this should be given a red status too.

Strain on local infrastructure and services/ Infrastructure and Service Capacity
Schools, medical and dentistry facilities are already under pressure due to the present number of residents living in Cowbridge.

Density of the proposal in relation to existing developments
Again, a lack of consistency and a total lack of adequate consideration when allocating the colour code for the Bryn Melin site.
Again, 367 and 455 have amber and Bryn Melin green ? What is the explanation for this ?

Access to Site vehicular movement/ Traffic and highway safety. Should the site be given over for residential construction the chaos that would occur during the construction process would be horrendous. The amount of HGV’s coming in and out of there would cause all sorts of chaos, leaving mud and all sorts of dirt on the road.
This is the main road from Cowbridge to St Athan and villages, the entrance to the site is on a left blind bend on a hill. The traffic already using the road would be competing with construction HGV’s.
Following on from that, should the site be used for residential properties the number of vehicles in the area would increase considerably. This would cause issues at peak times, during the daily rush hour and is already dangerous and chaotic around school drop off and pick up times.
As it stands, the entrance to the field is on a totally blind bend. The road is narrow, at present large vehicles cross over to the other side of the road to negotiate the bend. This makes it dangerous for other vehicles and poses a high risk to cyclists and pedestrians. It should be noted there are no pavements along this section of road.
Gaining access to the field would result in congestion and major safety issues as traffic would be waiting on the main road to turn right into the field, and on exiting, find themselves turning right blind to the main flow of traffic coming round the bend from the left.
It would be unlikely that potential residents would walk from this location which would intensify vehicular congestion and parking issues in the centre of the town.
How on earth can Bryn Melin only be given an amber. ?
This is so obviously a very dangerous red.
Access to public transport, pedestrian/cycle routes
Again, the colour coding seems to have gone awry here too.
Bryn Melin has a green. Sites 367 and 455 have amber.
Bryn Melin should be dangerous red
When comparing the sites it is obvious that Bryn Melin has the worst access of them all.

As previously stated, this development would lead to an increase in car usage. It is not safe enough or convenient enough to walk to public transport. There are no pavements for the use of pedestrians. The suggested walkways using Brookfield Park are not practical or even viable. They are too narrow, they can not be widened due to private property either side, and finally they are not even owned by the vendors of the field so therefore are not a realistic possibility at the moment.
There is certainly no room on St Athan Road for any cycle lanes, and the thought of push bikes competing with the main road traffic on that road is very concerning.

It should be noted that sites 367 and 455 have access to public transport adjacent and good pedestrian and cycle routes.

Unbelievably Bryn Melin does not even have a rating for the heading of Whether the site is available for all users.
Why has this been ignored ?
As previously mentioned, the poor access through Windmill Lane, dangerous access along St Athan Road and a non-realistic mention of access through Brookfield Park is actual proof of this.
It should also be mentioned that the proposed site has a 12% slope.
Again, sites 367 and 455 have been given amber but are obviously more accessible than 370.

Under the listing of Opportunities for enhancing green infrastructure/active travel
Bryn Melin receives a green rating, whilst 367 and 455 receive amber. This makes no sense.

With the evidence listed, the dangers of the private road Windmill Lane, and the suggested under minimum size walkway in Brookfield Park it does not seem credible.
The bus service from Cowbridge to the main employment centre of Cardiff is only accessible from along the main high street road and provides just two an hour.
Surely, they should be looking at improving existing transport hubs in Llantwit Major, Barry and Penarth for better city links and build housing there.

Flood risk drainage concerns
There has always been terrible drainage by the main gate onto St Athan Road. It has always been soggy boggy land at the bottom of the hill.
Greenfield land naturally absorbs rainfall. As previously mentioned, it is already a natural issue at the bottom of the field. Replacing it with hard surfaces such as roads, driveways and rooftops will increase surface water runoff and may exacerbate an already existing flood risk in the surrounding areas.

Loss of Green infrastructure and biodiversity – environmental impact
Potential development would result in the permanent loss of valuable greenfield space, which currently supports biodiversity, *local wildlife habitats, and natural ecosystems, destroying wildlife corridors.
Greenfield land plays an essential role in carbon absorption, flood mitigation and maintaining air quality.
The local wildlife we see in our garden coming in from the field behind us consist of badgers, foxes, rabbits, hedgehogs, owls, pheasants, green woodpeckers, lesser spotted woodpeckers, sparrowhawks and numerous other smaller birds. Photographic evidence can be provided of all of these in our garden.
Where will they go when their field is taken away from them ?
Not to forget that the developed site will lead to a significant increase in the Carbon footprint due to the layout and the inclination of the slope.

Placemaking outcome summary
Again, back to the colour coding system.
Bryn Melin is given green.
This is a complete and absolute refusal to acknowledge, and the blatant ignorance of, the Welsh Government directive to protect Special Landscape Areas.
Presented with all the evidence and information listed above it has to be category red.

The site is on the far edge of the town with no convenient access to public transport or safe pedestrian and cycle pathways. Development of this site would lead to an increase in traffic volume on a very dangerous section of St Athan Road. Firstly, for journeys made for work outside of Cowbridge and secondly, local traffic will also increase for shopping and leisure activities, along with schools, visits to doctors’ surgeries and dentists, also putting pressure on car parking facilities in the town. This is already under strain.

The RLDP should prioritise urban housing to meet housing targets, but they should be ensuring that a sustainable development is located near existing transport hubs and employment centres, rather than creating car-dependent “commuter estates”. This leads to urban sprawl, causing detrimental damage to local character and sense of place

The Cowbridge and Llanblethian local council unanimously opposed this sites inclusion in the RLDP and they are responsible for the Cowbridge placemaking plan.

The report states:
“Development of the site has the potential to enhance the character of the area and contribute positively to national sustainability and placemaking principles. A planning statement has been provided in support of the current planning permission which sets out how the proposal would respond its setting and location in relation to placemaking.”
Clearly this development can’t possibly enhance the character of the area when the landscape and a public footpath will be destroyed, and local wildlife habitats will be affected

Primrose Hill 455 is Amber
Development of site is likely to have a neutral / negligible effect on local character and sense of place (subject to the development providing mitigation measures and/or meeting specific policy requirements).

Land South of Llantwit Major Rd 367 is red.
Development of site will likely be detrimental to local character and sense of place

Emerging Placemaking Principles for Cowbridge
The draft Cowbridge Placemaking Plan emphasises local identity, sustainable growth, and protection/enhancement of town character, public spaces and the town-edge environment.

Allocating large greenfield land contrary to these principles undermines locally articulated placemaking ambitions. There appears to have been little or no involvement of the local council in identifying and discussing the local placemaking criteria and assessment of the various Cowbridge sites.

Cowbridge Town Council unanimously rejected the inclusion of Site 370 in the RLDP on 24/02/2026

Conclusion & Proposed Changes

Retain the site within open countryside, protected under relevant rural policies.

Focus future growth where environmental and green infrastructure enhancement can be delivered, supporting the Vale’s biodiversity network and placemaking aspirations.

Provide clear, transparent evidence (with up-to-date landscape and ecological assessments) for any Greenfield allocation before plan submission.

Provide clear evidence that alternative sites are less appropriate before extending Cowbridge’s physical footprint.

I am writing to formally object to the inclusion of Site 370, Bryn Melin, in the RLDP Proposal for The
Vale of Glamorgan.
My objections are based on:
1. Placemaking, Character and Identity of Place
A comparison of the characteristics of the proposed locations in Cowbridge has been included in the
RLDP; however, there appear to be significant inconsistencies in the suitability scores assigned to Bryn
Melin when compared with those given to other sites. Several examples of these discrepancies are outlined
below.
This comparison considers sites proposed within the Cowbridge area: Site 370 (Bryn Mellin), Site 367
(South of Llantwit Major Road), and Site 455 (Primrose Hill). It is understood that planners, or their
representatives, were expected to visit each location to assess a number of sub-criteria. However, it may be
more appropriate for the local council to carry out these assessments to determine which site is most
suitable for the town.
Policy BP16 states that where several sites are identified within a settlement, those that achieve
proportionately more positive scores against the assessment criteria should be ranked higher than those that
generate a disproportionate number of negative scores.
Bryn Melin shares many characteristics and potential impacts similar to the other proposed Cowbridge
sites, yet it has been assessed as being more suitable for development.
In addition, Bryn Melin is located within the Thaw Valley, which is designated as a Special Landscape
Area that the Vale of Glamorgan Council has a responsibility to protect.
This raises the question of whether the planners’ prior receipt of a developer proposal, and their existing
interest in the site, may have influenced the assessment outcome.
Loss of Green Infrastructure & Biodiversity
The proposed site represents a significant loss of “Best and Most Versatile” (BMV) agricultural land and
green infrastructure. We have photographic evidence from a wildlife camera installed in our rear garden,
which adjoins the proposed site, of badgers, foxes, barn owls, weasels, sparrow hawks, green and great
spotted woodpeckers, all of which emerge from the proposed Bryn Melin site. To disrupt and wipe out this
wealth of wildlife would be an incomprehensible and totally unnecessary action.
Relationship to and compatibility with existing build form, layout, scale, density, and building types
Site 370 (Bryn Melin) has been rated green, while Site 367 (south of Llantwit Major Road) has been given
an amber rating and Site 455 (Primrose Hill) a red rating.
However, Bryn Melin should more appropriately be assessed as red, as there is currently no comparable
housing density within the Thaw Valley. The assessment appears to overlook the wider context of the
Thaw Valley Special Landscape Area (SLA), which is a significant factor when considering compatibility
with existing character and development patterns.
Visual impact on landscape, streetscape, and the historic environment
Site 370 (Bryn Melin) has been given an amber rating, whereas Sites 367 and 455 have both been assessed
as red.
However, Bryn Melin is located within the Thaw Valley, which is designated as a Special Landscape Area.
Given the sensitivity and importance of this protected landscape setting, the site should more appropriately
receive a red rating due to the likely visual impact on the surrounding environment.
Significance of the site to the surrounding area
Site 370 (Bryn Melin) has been rated amber, while Sites 367 and 455 have both received red ratings. The
reasoning for this difference is unclear.
Bryn Melin is located within the Thaw Valley, which is designated as a Special Landscape Area. Given the
importance and sensitivity of this protected landscape, the site would be expected to receive a red rating.
Development at Bryn Melin would also have a considerable impact on the residents of Windmill Lane.
Windmill Lane is a private lane with very limited access, and increased pedestrian movement resulting
from development of the site would likely affect the privacy and security of residents living there.
In addition, the council has previously refused planning permission for development on this site. One of
the reasons given was that the proposal would harm existing local amenities by altering the character and
route of a public footpath that is valued by residents in the area. This decision was upheld on appeal by the
planning inspector, who noted that the value of the section of footpath crossing the site would be
significantly reduced if the land were to be developed, regardless of how the path might be redirected.
Density of the proposal in relation to existing developments
Site 370 (Bryn Melin) has been given a green rating, while Sites 367 and 455 have both been assessed as
amber. The justification for this difference is unclear.
Given that Bryn Melin is located within the Thaw Valley, where there is currently very limited residential
development, the density of any proposed housing would be significantly different from the existing
character of the area. For this reason, it is difficult to understand why Bryn Melin has been assessed more
favourably than the other sites in terms of density when compared with surrounding development.
Vehicular access and movement to the site
Site 370 (Bryn Melin) has been rated amber, the same rating given to Sites 367 and 455.
However, it appears that vehicular access issues at Bryn Melin would be more significant than at the other
sites. St Athan Road has notable width restrictions, which could increase the risk of conflict between
general traffic and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) associated with the development. In addition, HGVs
turning into the site are likely to create delays for vehicles travelling to and from St Athan Road.
The layout of the site and the incline of the surrounding land may also lead to an increased carbon
footprint, as vehicles accessing and operating within the development would require greater energy use due
to the gradient and site configuration.
A previous road safety survey indicated that the road infrastructure surrounding the proposed site was
inadequate and in parts very dangerous.
Access to Public Transport, Pedestrian and Cycle Routes
Site 370 (Bryn Melin) has been rated green, while Sites 367 and 455 have both been assessed as amber.
The basis for this difference is unclear.
In reality, Bryn Melin appears to have the poorest access to pedestrian routes, cycle infrastructure and
public transport, and therefore would more appropriately fall within a red category. Development of this
site is likely to lead to a significant increase in private car use due to the limited and difficult access to
public transport services.
There are no pavements on the roads providing access to Bryn Melin, and the walkway from Brookfield
Park does not meet the council’s minimum width requirements. By contrast, Sites 367 and 455 benefit
from closer proximity to public transport services and provide safer and more direct access to established
pedestrian and cycle routes.
Accessibility of the Site for All Users
Bryn Melin has not been given a rating under this category, which represents a significant omission in the
assessment process.
Given the approximately 12% slope across the site and the poor access arrangements, Bryn Melin should
reasonably receive a red rating in terms of accessibility. In comparison, Sites 367 and 455 are rated amber,
yet they clearly offer better accessibility than Site 370.
Opportunities for Enhancing Green Infrastructure and Active Travel
Bryn Melin has been rated green, while Sites 367 and 455 have both received amber ratings. This
assessment is difficult to justify.
Access to Bryn Melin relies on the substandard walkway through Brookfield Park and the private roadway
of Windmill Lane. These access limitations significantly restrict opportunities to support active travel or
meaningful green infrastructure improvements. For these reasons, Bryn Melin would more appropriately
receive a red rating.
Although Bryn Melin does have access to bus services to Cardiff, the main employment centre, these
services operate at a limited frequency of only two buses per hour during peak periods. This limited
provision is likely to increase reliance on private vehicles for commuting to Cardiff.
It also raises the question of why the Vale of Glamorgan Council is not prioritising development around
established rail transport hubs such as Barry or Penarth, where sustainable transport options are
significantly stronger.
Placemaking Outcome Summary
Site 370 (Bryn Melin) has been categorised as green.
However, this rating appears inconsistent with the wider context of the site. Development within the Thaw
Valley represents a significant contradiction to Welsh Government policy aimed at protecting Special
Landscape Areas. The site has very limited public transport provision and development would likely lead
to increased reliance on private vehicles for commuting, shopping, and access to services, leisure facilities
and healthcare.
Cowbridge and Llanblethian Town Council unanimously opposed the inclusion of this site within the
RLDP. The Town Council is responsible for developing the Cowbridge Placemaking Plan and therefore
plays an important role in shaping the town’s future development.
The report states that:
Development of the site has the potential to enhance the character of the area and contribute positively to
national sustainability and placemaking principles. A planning statement has been provided in support of
the current planning permission which sets out how the proposal would respond to its setting and location
in relation to placemaking.
However, it is difficult to see how development could enhance the character of the area when it would
involve the loss of landscape, alteration of a valued public footpath, and potential impacts on local habitats
and ecological stepping stones.
By comparison, Site 455 (Primrose Hill) has been assessed as amber, with the report suggesting that
development would likely have a neutral or negligible impact on local character and sense of place,
provided appropriate mitigation measures are implemented.
Site 367 (Land South of Llantwit Major Road) has been rated red, with the report stating that development
would likely be detrimental to local character and sense of place.
Emerging Placemaking Principles for Cowbridge
The draft Cowbridge Placemaking Plan places strong emphasis on protecting local identity, promoting
sustainable growth, and safeguarding the character of the town, its public spaces, and its surrounding town
edge environment.
Allocating large areas of greenfield land for development, contrary to these principles, risks undermining
the locally developed placemaking vision. It also appears that there has been limited involvement from the
local council in determining the placemaking criteria or in assessing the suitability of the proposed sites
around Cowbridge.
Cowbridge Town Council unanimously rejected the inclusion of Site 370 within the RLDP on 24 February
2026.
Conclusion and Proposed Changes
The site should remain designated as open countryside and continue to be protected under existing rural
planning policies.
Future growth should instead be directed toward locations where environmental enhancement and green
infrastructure can be delivered while supporting the Vale of Glamorgan’s biodiversity network and
placemaking objectives.
Clear and transparent evidence, supported by up-to-date landscape and ecological assessments, should be
provided before any greenfield site allocation is included within the plan.
In addition, the council should demonstrate clearly that alternative sites are less appropriate before
extending the physical boundary of Cowbridge into the surrounding countryside.
For the reasons stated above, I respectfully request that the Council reconsiders the inclusion of Bryn
Melin within the RLDP and prioritise sustainable and more appropriate alternative sites that won’t have
such an impact on environmental assets and community wellbeing.
Thank you for considering my objection and I look forward to confirmation that my concerns have been
formally recorded.