A FRESH bid to redevelop the site of a former village paper mill by building 209 homes has run into fresh opposition from local politicians.

Both Caldicot Town Council and Portskewett Community Council have recommended refusal for new housing plans at the old Sudbrook Paper Mill, which closed in 2006 after 50 years and was demolished three years later.

The developer behind the scheme originally wanted to build 340 homes on the site, but has scaled this down after Monmouthshire council refused planning permission in 2012.

Concerns voiced this time by the two councils include a lack of identified affordable housing, access issues and the impact on services.

The scheme from developers Harrow Estates Ltd was refused three years ago amid concerns that the development would treble the size of the village.

An appeal against the decision was dismissed by the Welsh Assembly’s housing and regeneration minister, Carl Sargeant, in 2014, following a four-day public inquiry.

The current proposal would see a mix of two, three and four-bedroom Redrow homes built, together with reconfigured access and the creation of new roads, footpaths, cycle ways, car parking, a network of public spaces and highway improvements.

Portskewett Community Council voiced concerns that the only access route into Sudbrook is across the bridge on Sudbrook Road.

Cllr Peter Fox, leader of Monmouthshire council and member for Portskewett, said he had concerns about the access route and the amount of traffic the development could create.

He said: “I think 209 houses there is still too many. It is not necessarily too many for the site to accommodate, but the infrastructure is not there to support it.

“The bridge is already well used and with an extra 1,000 cars, it will definitely cause longer waits in traffic and congestion.”

He said: “We need more housing for young people to buy or rent in Monmouthshire. We need local affordable housing for local people and Sudbrook and Portskewett are no different.”

Caldicot Town councillor Alan Davies said: “The council objected to the original development and attended the public inquiry. Our concern was the effect it would have on services in the area. In the inquiry, we spoke about the impact on schools and doctors’ surgeries.”