Campaigners voice opposition to 300-home development in Blackwood as appeal starts

Developer Persimmon has launched an appeal against the council's decision to refuse planning permission for the homes, earmarked for land north of the Grove Park Estate.

The appeal process is under way, and people wishing to submit evidence for or against the development have until June 26 to do so.

And in the meantime, people living in the area have taken to social media to voice their concerns and opposition.

“It seems that every amenity for Blackwood, Pontllanfraith, and Bargoed etc, is slowly being erased," said one campaigner on Facebook regarding the plans, which involve the use of six fields.

“We are going to be left with very little or nothing to offer visitors and shoppers to our areas.

“Even our green fields are now being used to build on, with all petitions from residents ignored.”

Another added: “It's nuts, any amount of green space gets built on. Soon Islwyn will be a total concrete jungle.

“Demolish the empty factories and build on them, rather than more green spaces.

“They've already destroyed the green area by Hawtin Park in Pont(llanfraith). They are closing our facilities; doctors have a huge list of patients and it takes three weeks to get an appointment.

“Yet more houses are required without the school places, shops, doctors, dentists, leisure centres to service the existing residents' needs let alone new ones!

“This appeal should not be allowed but we all know it will be."

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Other protesters call for detailed investigations to determine whether the site and surrounding area will be able to cope, with one stating: “As much as we can agree that affordable homes are much needed. The amount of affordable homes planned for the Grove Park area is minimal.

“Before development of any homes, infrastructure needs full attention and not just numbers on papers, actual struggles that people have in gaining access to surgeries, dentists, and schools, both Welsh and English.

“Then we need to look at the roads into the area. Yet again brief surveys are done where one road that has school buses stopping twice daily has not been fully taken into consideration.

“Only a little black box counter that cannot see the struggles the local road has now, with children trying to cross a road with already poor visibility when larger vehicles parked up to offload/load a number of students."

Other residents have expressed their concerns to ward councillor Kevin Etheridge, who said: “All Blackwood county borough councillors shall leave no stone unturned when objecting to these appeal proposals outside settlement, environmental and highways issues.”

Planning permission was refused last November.

Anyone interested in submitting reasons for or against the proposed development at Grove Park, may put in a statement to the planning inspectorate of no more than 3,000 words, no later than June 26.

here.