PLANS for 23 homes in Talywain have been approved by Torfaen council’s planning committee despite calls for a site visit.

The development plans had previously been deferred by the planning committee over access concerns and were brought back yesterday (August 18) with an alternative solution.

In the original application the access was off the corner of Albert Road and New Road, however councillors had safety concerns.

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In the amended plans the access has been relocated further to the south of Albert Road. The existing access would be closed and used as open space.

However, some councillors still had reservations over the new access and the risk to flooding.

Cllr Gwyn Jenkins said he was “still concerned about the fact that there’s mining underneath” and called for a site visit.

Cllr Janet Jones said: “I have been over to the site and I’ve still got grave concerns even though the entrance has been moved.

“I do really wish we could have had a site visit. I do understand the circumstances but I do share Gwyn’s concerns on this.”

But Cllr Jason O’Connell said a site visit wouldn’t be appropriate.

“This was presented to us at the last meeting and we asked the applicant and the planning team to make some changes which they have duly done, they have moved the access point,” he said.

“I think we need to take the application as it is now and make the decision based on what’s in front of us.”

Craig Williams from the highways team said there were no concerns from a highways standpoint.

Eventually councillors voted to approve the plans for the land off Albert Road, which will provide 23 homes containing a mixture of one, two and three-bedrooms.

The application site is currently overgrown and two buildings on the site are used as a car repair workshop. The remaining buildings are used for informal storage by private individuals.