A MEETING to discuss a controversial 1,200-home development in Sebastopol is entering its fourth hour.

Campaigners have been making impassioned pleas to the extraordinary Torfaen council meeting on the application by a consortium of developers including Barratt Homes, the Welsh Development Agency, Asbri Planning and Crest Strategic Projects Ltd.

Around 40 people are in the public gallery with placards saying 'Save Our Countryside', cheering objecters and booing those speaking for the scheme.

Objecter Mr Viv Thomas of West Avenue said: "Imagine another 3,000 cars trucking around our roads. It just doesn't bear thinking about."

Carole Jacob of Friends of the Earth Torfaen told the meeting the develoment would cause traffic chaos and destroy the last rural space between Pontypool and Cwmbran.

Cllr Mary Barnett said the majority of residents in her Upper Cwmbran ward were opposed to the plans - fearing the loss of the green belt and deterioration of the canal.

Cllr Aneurin James added: "We're a small valley - we don't need these houses."

But Torfaen council leader Bob Wellington has announced he is backing the plan.