A DERELICT petrol station site in Cwmbran could be demolished and rebuilt as part of new plans submitted to Torfaen County Borough Council.

On February 27, the council’s planning committee will discuss a proposal for the Woodland Road service station in the Highway, Croesyceiliog.

The former Texaco filling station closed in 2009 and has since “fallen into disrepair” with temporary fencing preventing access into the existing site, a council reports states.

New plans by applicant Kurt Williams include a new facility with two 60,000 litre underground fuel tanks and a new 14m by 12.5m building with office space above.

A external cash machine, forecourt area canopy and parking is also planned.

Torfaen CBC has recently carried out a consultation with its own departments - including highways and environment - alongside wider organisations and the public.

Cllr Veronica Crick, of the Croesyceiliog South ward, said the site has been “neglected” since the closure with residents expressing concerns over traffic, site safety and vandalism.

Her consultation response said the road system adjacent to the site is regarded as “notably hazardous” - especially at opening and closing times for nearby Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School, cars, bus users and pedestrians.

As the footprint of the proposed building is “much larger than that it replaces” with a second-floor stockroom and office, she said, it “seems to be an overdevelopment of the site”.

The councillor also raised traffic concerns for the Woodland Road and Turnpike Road areas which coincide with a two-year, £30 million project to build a replacement school for Croesyceiliog Comprehensive.

Torfaen CBC’s environmental health department originally said the filling station could cause “excessive disturbance” and asked for a survey measuring noise and an assessment on proposed lighting for the site.

Following this, the applicant withdrew proposals for 24-hour operation and lodged plans for 7am – 11pm opening hours - negating the need for a noise survey.

Five public letters were also received in consultation noting parking, noise disruption, building size, impact on other businesses and the site being too small to accommodate tankers and delivery lorries.

Torfaen CBC’s highways department, in the report’s conclusion, states that with the garage being closed for almost 10 years, residents will experience traffic increases “over and above” what they’re used to.

In this case, the report added, customers are already likely to be using the road network near the site and that a refusal of the application on traffic grounds can’t be sustained given site history and context.

The petrol station plans are recommended for approval subject to several conditions covering drainage, ecology, land investigations, lighting and noise.

No vehicle workshop or car war is proposed for the site and their re-introduction would need separate planning permission.

The meeting takes place on Tuesday, February 27 at 4pm. Watch it live here: torfaen.public-i.tv/core/portal/home