Monmouth is due to be burdened with more than 800 new homes in the next 10 years, according to Monmouth Town Councillors who have scrutinised the Local Development Plan (LDP) prior to its final stage of consultation.

Residents have an opportunity to influence the contents before the Deposit Stage Plan is produced for endorsement by Monmouthshire County Council (MCC).

Monmouth Town Council (MTC) has spoken exclusively to the Beacon and believes that Monmouth is being asked to take more than its fair share of housing.

"The town population is only 10 per cent of that of the county, but MCC is proposing to develop nearly 20 per cent of new sites in Monmouth," said the council.

Councillors have opposed the proposal to include the Wonastow Road site in the LDP on many occasions but it is this site, and two other smaller sites, that are the only ones put forward by MCC officers as development sites. All other candidate sites have been assessed as unsuitable.

"We have no strong objections to the sites at Wyesham (Tudor Road and Wyesham School)," the council added, "other than opposing the level of proposed housing without the infrastructure of the town being developed before work begins."

The points they wish to raise at a public meeting tonight (Thursday 20th January) with planning officers are;

• Guidance states that 29 Primary and 29 Secondary school places are needed for every 100 homes built. This means that by 2021, Monmouth will need an extra 238 Primary and 238 Secondary school places. All schools within Monmouth are full with the exception of the new school at Wyesham, which is nearly full.

• Parking in Monmouth is a nightmare on most days and impossible on a Saturday. If we assume only half a car per household wants to park in town, we would need an extra car park three times larger than the present Glendower street car park.

• These extra homes and increase in the population of about 10 per cent will put an increasing burden on the infrastructure of the town. We have only two doctors surgeries and it is impossible to find an NHS dentist.

• There is nothing in the LDP about recreational space being provided or areas designated 'development free' to provide such spaces for future generation.

• The desire to develop the Welsh Assembly Government land appears to be driving the policy instead of the needs and wishes of the citizen, as should be the case.

On the Wonastow Road site in particular, councillors feel;

• The proposed second access to the site passes through the middle of a flood zone.

• There is a site of important nature conservation (SINC) within the Wonastow Road site and another SINC is very close. There have been no studies to indicate what protected species may be present.

• The assessment of sites against sustainability criteria has the footnote: The site may be affected by surface water flooding and therefore requires further investigation in this respect.

We can say with certainty that the site is affected as there is a known aquifer beneath the site and there are many springs which run throughout the year.

A similar situation exists on the nearby land at Croft-y-Bwla where the proposed solution is to construct a series of 'holding ponds' connected to the existing drainage system.

This system is unproven in the Monmouth area. When there is surface water flooding, a large amount of silt is washed down with the water. This silt will tend to settle out in the holding ponds. The holding ponds will drain when the flood stops and the remaining hole will be lined with slime and silt. Apart from being unsightly these ponds will require cleaning and maintaining for evermore. Who will supervise and pay for this?

• All access to the site has to come from Wonastow Road. Even the second access (outside the candidate site and through the flood plain and nature zone) eventually leads on to Wonastow road.

The report admits that the existing road is inadequate to accommodate the extra traffic and will require widening and additional pavements.

Even after this cost and disruption to the town the report states that the area at the lights at the new bridge and the roundabout at Bridges will not accommodate the extra traffic without other (unknown) remedial measures.

This demonstrates that the present infrastructure will not support a development of this size in this place.

"We trust that the views of the Town Council, which we believe mirrors the views of the majority of residents in Monmouth will be listened to and the proposal to develop the Wonastow Road site be removed from the Local Development Plan," they ended.

Ben Summers of the IT Centre, on the Wonastow Industrial Estate, said: "The scheme is a mixed bag.

"It could potentially bring a lot more exposure for this business at no cost to us.

"It will also bring more people into the Monmouth area, and they will spend money in the town.

"But on the other hand if the road running through this site is a construction access road it will be terrible.

"Of course, the fundamental issue is the fact that its a floodplain.

"The new properties may also devalue the houses and the land that are already in this area.

"Development in Monmouth is needed though, so this could be the way to go."

Jason Sanders of Monnow Mowers said: "I'm not impressed.

"The amount of vehicles around here is already bad enough with all the learner drivers.

"It also won't bring me any business as the gardens with the properties will be very small and most likely gravelled."

A public meeting is taking place at 6pm this Thursday at Rockfield Community Centre, where MCC officers George Ashworth and Martin Davies will answer questions from members of the public and other interested parties.