RCT / VALAD new Pant development
Draft notes taken at the public forum held at the Pontyclun Community Centre Tuesday July 12th 2011
Chair Margaret Griffiths supported by Paul Griffiths, Pontyclun Community Councillor (PCC), Mick Antoniw, Pontypridd Assembly Member (AM) and about 50 in attendance from Pontyclun, Talbot Green and Llantrisant. A representative from VALAD and Leekes was also present in the meeting.
1. The Chair opened the meeting thanking everyone for coming and explained that the local Pontyclun Ward Labour Party had organised and financed the first meeting it came about after LP members had discussed the issues following a visit to the VALAD exhibition and thought it would be a good idea to get local people together. It was emphasised that the meeting was one of a single issue and the intention was to involve all who live in the area of whatever political view or non at all.
The reported that the development was in the Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Local Development Plan (LDP) which had been through all the consultation stages and had now been approved by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and so now remained to be subject to detailed planning applications and this provided the local community an opportunity to have their concerns taken into account covering such issues as highways, the environment, cycling and walking.
2. Paul Griffiths explained how he used the local library to view the RCT LDP when it first became available in 2006 and how he was involved from that time as a member of the PCC in the consultation process which was finally completed early this year. The original plan was for a new town centre covering the whole of the Pant valley up to the dual carriageway including the woodland to the south.
However, due to PCC and other representations this was scaled back to the brown field area which is now going to be the subject of the VALAD development proposals. The RCT LDP plan lasts for the next 20 years thus limiting any further development within this time scale. The next stage of detailed planning applications puts all the issues of concern ‘up for grabs’.
3. Mick Antoniw outlined his position of ensuring that all the information that was needed by local people was made available initially by the land owners VALAD. He had written to the company requesting information inter alia relating to the impact on traffic, their jobs assessments, and impact on what is currently in existence. A response was still awaited. He opined that there were usually advantages and disadvantages in these developments and the important thing was to gather as many views and information as possible to effectively respond to the planning applications when it is available.
4. Comments, questions and discussion took place from among those present and the following points were made:
• Some were not aware of the detail of the proposal or the recent exhibitions.
• Concern was expressed about whether the original larger scheme would re-emerge
• Questions were raised about the other company involved in the development, Scarborough and the extent of their influence with developments in the area, including Pontypridd.
• The effectiveness of the A473 and A4119 roundabout after the development was questioned.
• To what extent was the development restricted to a brown field site and a close comparison should be carried out between the site proposed and the approved plan.
• There are existing shopping centres there was concern about how they would be affected
• Why could the development not take place in the existing centres?
• Whether it was a ‘done deal’ could be challenged and a referendum could be organised.
• Others expressed the view we should deal the process that is now available and be aware of the job implications.
• Questions were raised about the flooding calculations and whether they were adequate and the drainage proposals consequently effective.
• Related issues were raised about the flood plain and whether adequate risk calculations had been built in.
• Environmental concerns relating to the proposed flood bank ‘bund’ as to whether it was adequate or could have adverse affects on the natural environment.
• The site is now derelict and it needs to be used.
• The site does include contaminated areas and it was suggested that more samples should be taken and possible leeching investigated.
• A question was raised on the possibility of Beryllium being present on the site.
• Investment in the Y Pant School was raised and Mick Antoniw reported that WAG would be making a statement on Welsh school investment on July 15th.
• Concern was expressed about the safety of children and school students in relation to the new development and the need to provide safe pedestrian, cycling and bridge access. ‘If it can be done for dormice it can be done for children’ was one comment!
• A suggestion was made the Sustrains proposal for a cycle way along the disused railway line could inserted as part of the requirements of the proposal.
• There was general support to do as much as we can to preserve the village type of local environment, especially as this was the reason many moved here.
• Information came from Leekes that they also shared many of the concerns particularly those relating to traffic and car parking. They are not currently signed up to any deal with the developers and have only been in detailed discussions over the last 3 months.
• It also became clear that one attraction of the site would be the high rents and rates it could command as other local retail developments where among the highest in the UK.
5. Action was discussed at the end of the meeting. It became clear that the development could only take place over a 5 – 6 year period with a new supermarket being the first phase, then financing the next. VALAD would be putting forward a submission to RCT for outline planning permission within the next few weeks with detailed planning permission for the new supermarket this Autumn.
The outline planning permission would provide local people with more detailed information and the opportunity to insist on our concerns being taken account of. Although many people at the meeting had deep misgivings about the whole development, the Chair suggested that it appeared in general that most people thought it tactically and strategically important to take the planning process seriously. It was therefore suggested to the meeting and approved that:
i. An email list of those interested would be established and the initial list of names was collected at the meeting.
ii. That a working group be established to undertake more information gathering and start to prepare a case for the submission at the outline planning permission stage.
iii. That the working group meets within the next 14 days
iv. That another open forum is convened within the next month.
At the end of the meeting 13 people had volunteered to start as the working group and an email list of 40 was established.
Len Arthur who helped convene the meeting agreed to keep the notes, write this draft report and would establish the email contact group and an email contact working group. He would send around the draft report to all on the email list and ask for any changes, after which the report would be circulated widely in electronic and hard copy.
He also agreed to help convene the first working group meeting.
Draft notes taken at the public forum held at the Pontyclun Community Centre Tuesday July 12th 2011
Chair Margaret Griffiths supported by Paul Griffiths, Pontyclun Community Councillor (PCC), Mick Antoniw, Pontypridd Assembly Member (AM) and about 50 in attendance from Pontyclun, Talbot Green and Llantrisant. A representative from VALAD and Leekes was also present in the meeting.
1. The Chair opened the meeting thanking everyone for coming and explained that the local Pontyclun Ward Labour Party had organised and financed the first meeting it came about after LP members had discussed the issues following a visit to the VALAD exhibition and thought it would be a good idea to get local people together. It was emphasised that the meeting was one of a single issue and the intention was to involve all who live in the area of whatever political view or non at all.
The reported that the development was in the Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Local Development Plan (LDP) which had been through all the consultation stages and had now been approved by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and so now remained to be subject to detailed planning applications and this provided the local community an opportunity to have their concerns taken into account covering such issues as highways, the environment, cycling and walking.
2. Paul Griffiths explained how he used the local library to view the RCT LDP when it first became available in 2006 and how he was involved from that time as a member of the PCC in the consultation process which was finally completed early this year. The original plan was for a new town centre covering the whole of the Pant valley up to the dual carriageway including the woodland to the south.
However, due to PCC and other representations this was scaled back to the brown field area which is now going to be the subject of the VALAD development proposals. The RCT LDP plan lasts for the next 20 years thus limiting any further development within this time scale. The next stage of detailed planning applications puts all the issues of concern ‘up for grabs’.
3. Mick Antoniw outlined his position of ensuring that all the information that was needed by local people was made available initially by the land owners VALAD. He had written to the company requesting information inter alia relating to the impact on traffic, their jobs assessments, and impact on what is currently in existence. A response was still awaited. He opined that there were usually advantages and disadvantages in these developments and the important thing was to gather as many views and information as possible to effectively respond to the planning applications when it is available.
4. Comments, questions and discussion took place from among those present and the following points were made:
• Some were not aware of the detail of the proposal or the recent exhibitions.
• Concern was expressed about whether the original larger scheme would re-emerge
• Questions were raised about the other company involved in the development, Scarborough and the extent of their influence with developments in the area, including Pontypridd.
• The effectiveness of the A473 and A4119 roundabout after the development was questioned.
• To what extent was the development restricted to a brown field site and a close comparison should be carried out between the site proposed and the approved plan.
• There are existing shopping centres there was concern about how they would be affected
• Why could the development not take place in the existing centres?
• Whether it was a ‘done deal’ could be challenged and a referendum could be organised.
• Others expressed the view we should deal the process that is now available and be aware of the job implications.
• Questions were raised about the flooding calculations and whether they were adequate and the drainage proposals consequently effective.
• Related issues were raised about the flood plain and whether adequate risk calculations had been built in.
• Environmental concerns relating to the proposed flood bank ‘bund’ as to whether it was adequate or could have adverse affects on the natural environment.
• The site is now derelict and it needs to be used.
• The site does include contaminated areas and it was suggested that more samples should be taken and possible leeching investigated.
• A question was raised on the possibility of Beryllium being present on the site.
• Investment in the Y Pant School was raised and Mick Antoniw reported that WAG would be making a statement on Welsh school investment on July 15th.
• Concern was expressed about the safety of children and school students in relation to the new development and the need to provide safe pedestrian, cycling and bridge access. ‘If it can be done for dormice it can be done for children’ was one comment!
• A suggestion was made the Sustrains proposal for a cycle way along the disused railway line could inserted as part of the requirements of the proposal.
• There was general support to do as much as we can to preserve the village type of local environment, especially as this was the reason many moved here.
• Information came from Leekes that they also shared many of the concerns particularly those relating to traffic and car parking. They are not currently signed up to any deal with the developers and have only been in detailed discussions over the last 3 months.
• It also became clear that one attraction of the site would be the high rents and rates it could command as other local retail developments where among the highest in the UK.
5. Action was discussed at the end of the meeting. It became clear that the development could only take place over a 5 – 6 year period with a new supermarket being the first phase, then financing the next. VALAD would be putting forward a submission to RCT for outline planning permission within the next few weeks with detailed planning permission for the new supermarket this Autumn.
The outline planning permission would provide local people with more detailed information and the opportunity to insist on our concerns being taken account of. Although many people at the meeting had deep misgivings about the whole development, the Chair suggested that it appeared in general that most people thought it tactically and strategically important to take the planning process seriously. It was therefore suggested to the meeting and approved that:
i. An email list of those interested would be established and the initial list of names was collected at the meeting.
ii. That a working group be established to undertake more information gathering and start to prepare a case for the submission at the outline planning permission stage.
iii. That the working group meets within the next 14 days
iv. That another open forum is convened within the next month.
At the end of the meeting 13 people had volunteered to start as the working group and an email list of 40 was established.
Len Arthur who helped convene the meeting agreed to keep the notes, write this draft report and would establish the email contact group and an email contact working group. He would send around the draft report to all on the email list and ask for any changes, after which the report would be circulated widely in electronic and hard copy.
He also agreed to help convene the first working group meeting.
No comments:
Post a Comment