AN appeal to the high court has been lodged over plans for 300 homes at a greenfield site in Caerphilly.

Plans for land at opposite Grove Park, near Cefn Fforest, Blackwood, were refused by the county borough council, leading to developer Persimmon, lodging an appeal to the Welsh Government.

Earlier this year, that appeal was dismissed - but now the developer has applied to the high court asking for a statutory review, and for housing minister Julie James’ decision to be overturned. The application also asks for the Welsh Government to cover the developer’s appeal costs.

The appeal document, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, says the developer’s claim is centred around a proposed alternative site.

Ms James said in her appeal decision notice that the Grove Park site conflicts with the council’s local development plan (LDP), which determines where houses should be built.

Not only was the site outside the boundary of acceptable development, but it is also a greenfield site, considered less favourable than a brownfield site. Ms James pointed out that the LDP contained several suitable brownfield sites for development, and singled out one, at Aberbargoed. However, the planning inspector’s recommendation to her not only recommended she overturned the decision but said the latter site was undeliverable.

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In the high court appeal application, the developer argues that the minister failed to “consider the inspector’s conclusion that the Aberbargoed site was undeliverable” and failed to provide adequate reasons to explain how it could be developed.

The application goes on to discuss the shortfall in affordable housing in the county borough, saying the “evidence before the minister was that the council has presided over a chronic, large shortfall in its housing land supply for at least nine years”.

“It (the council) accepted that it was on track to deliver only some 50 per cent of the new housing and affordable housing that its own development plan said it was needed... between 2006 and 2021”.

Cllr Kevin Etheridge said: “The public are devastated. It’s going to be dragged on another six-12 months because they are pursuing a judicial review.

“I will be attending the high court to support my residents.”

Another Blackwood ward member, Cllr Nigel Dix, said: “I am disappointed Persimmon felt the need to drag this out.

“This is all about planning being in the control of Welsh Government and local government. We back the minister in her decision, and I will continue to support the residents.”