A GARDEN village residential development on the site of Caerphilly council’s former offices is a ‘good news story’ for the authority, councillors have said.

Pobl Group is exploring the possibility of building up to 120 homes on the Pontllanfraith House site, which was vacated by the authority in 2016.

A progress report presented to the policy and resources scrutiny committee revealed that two thirds of housing will be offered as affordable.

The concept is modelled on a similar Pobl project in Newport, the Loftus Garden Village, which deputy leader Councillor Barbara Jones described as impressive.

Cllr Jones, together with other cabinet members, approved the site for housing in October but the committee heard that the project was in its early stages.

“As a cabinet we don’t want just another council estate, and this is a really exciting project,” said Cllr Jones.

“This will be lovely for Caerphilly residents, and why shouldn’t they have the best?”

Labour councillor Mike Adams said questions about the future use of the site, which has been completely cleared of buildings, had been raised constantly by residents.

But Independent councillor Kevin Etheridge raised fears about how the proposed development would affect the surrounding infrastructure in Blackwood.

“Islwyn High School and Blackwood Comprehensive School, and the medical centre in Pontllanfraith, are bursting at the seams,” he said.

“There’s a lot of residential developments proposed in and around Pontllanfraith. If you drop a bucket of soil in Blackwood a developer might build on it.”

Mark Williams, interim head of property services, said such issues would be assessed by the planning department once a formal planning application is lodged.

Concerns were also raised about potential impacts on the nearby Sir Harold Finch memorial park, but members heard the development would be contained to the former civic centre site.

Meanwhile Labour councillor Gary Johnston was frustrated about the loose definition of affordable housing, saying it was not entirely clear to residents or councillors what it means.

The meeting heard the definition, according to Welsh Government, is housing where it is accessible to those who find market housing unaffordable.

But Councillor Ray Saralis said: “Whilst we have comments about [the scheme], this is a good news story for Caerphilly and that can’t be overlooked.”