NEARLY 1,000 residents have signed a petition against proposed developments in Llanfrechfa, but a council report says “it’s not the appropriate point” to consider and reject the site.

Torfaen council has labelled Llanfrechfa as an “integral part” of plans for future development in the county borough council.

Currently, the council is going through the process of replacing its Local Development Plan (LDP), which sets out what kinds of developments should take place in the county borough and where.

It is proposed that 1,200 homes and a “neighbourhood centre” could be built as part of the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP), which would cover the years 2018 to 2033.

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A council report says: “A life sciences and healthcare ‘medi-parc’ in close association with the hospital would form the employment focus with 1,200 new homes and a neighbourhood centre of a size to reflect the character of the other existing Cwmbran new town neighbourhoods.”

However, residents are strongly against any proposed developments in Llanfrechfa.

A petition titled ‘Save Our Land’ has gained  947 signatures.

It calls on the council to “Reject the proposal to develop houses and a hotel behind the new hospital and over the grounds of Ponthir Llanfrechfa.”

The Llanfrechfa site includes the Grange University Hospital, the remaining grounds of the former Llanfrechfa Grange and various fields extending around and to the south.

Many of the comments call on the council to save green spaces.

A council report says the petitions and all comments submitted with it will be considered as part of the consultation process for the replacement plan. 

The report says: “Now that the consultation has closed officers will review all comments, assess further information submitted by landowners and a second plan, the deposit plan (draft plan) will be produced.

“Given the above, and whilst welcoming the engagement views and response by residents to the local planning authority’s statutory consultation on the RLDP preferred strategy procedurally this is not the appropriate point within the RLDP process to consider and reject the Llanfrechfa site.”

Planning officers are still in the early stages of considering the site and require more information.

If the Llanfrechfa site is included in the draft plan, then residents will have another chance to raise objections in the draft plan consultation.

The petition, which was submitted by Cllr Huw Bevan, in March, will be considered by full council on Tuesday (June 22).

Councillors have been told to note the petition.

The report says: “The petitioners will be informed through a letter from the head of planning and development that their representations and views have been logged and will be fully considered as part of the statutory review of consultation responses to the RLDP preferred strategy and included in the consultation report.