MONMOUTH Town Council want to call a public meeting to discuss the increased size of the Rockfield Road development.

Councillors made the decision after hearing there had been a 35% increase in the number of houses being built on the site.

Local resident Mr Andy Tomlin, who lives at Watery Lane, told councillors that planning permission had been given for 500 homes yet it now appeared that more than 640 homes were being built and possibly as many as 688.

He and other residents were concerned at the way the development was being enlarged and its ramifications for the town.

There had been no consultation on the increased size of the development, the only discussion had been about the use of the now "defunct" school site when developers spoke about 50 homes, not 50 extra homes.

The Traffic Impact Assessment had been carried out on the basis of 500 homes, but the County Council said it now allowed for 600 houses. Mr Tomlin said he had now asked MP Huw Edwards to try and get information from the County Council about the increases.

Mr Tomlin said the people of Monmouth should be given a platform to give their views and concerns about whether the town's infrastructure could cope with the enlarged site.

Mayoress Cllr Mrs Susan White said much of what Mr Tomlin had said has already been discussed by the Town Council.

Cllr Mrs Susan Chivers said they had objected from the beginning. She suggested calling the public meeting and asking Mr George Ashworth, the Assistant Director of Planning, to attend.

Mr Tomlin said they had to try to lobby the County Council's Planning Committee to make them aware of residents' concerns. He would be happy to see Mr Ashworth at a public meeting.

Cllr Mrs Eileen Goodrich said they should also consider new guidance from the Environment Agency following the recent floods. They were concerned about the density of the estate because of its position in the flood plain.

Mr Tomlin said the key was to get a platform from which they could object.

The Town Council agreed to write to the County Council asking for a public meeting to discuss all their concerns. Mrs Chivers said any such meeting should be held at Overmonnow School.

At a previous meeting councillors had expressed their concern and agreed to write to the planning authority, asking that the original plan for 500 should be adhered to.

Cllr Jeff Smith said at a there had been much talk recently about new development on flood plains and the Rockfield site could be affected in severe flood conditions. He was concerned that if the development as requested went ahead then there could even be a threat to human lives.

"It seems to me the Government are twisting the arm of the County Council to have this development" said the Mayor, Cllr Richard Bond.

Cllr Marcus Roach said planning applications were entirely in the hands of the County Council and they could override the plans for 630 houses if they so wished. The Government were calling for another two million homes to be built in this country, even building on flood plains, and he thought the onus should be on the Government.

One directive was for more density to be allowed on green field housing sites, said Cllr Tim Buckland. He thought Monmouth had so far "got away with it" as they could have been in a worse position.

The problem of flooding was not only concerned with rivers overflowing their banks but there was also a problem of liquid from drains, said Mrs Goodrich. There was already such a problem at Watery Lane and the proposed building could affect this even more.

Sufficient allowance must be made for surface water running off the surrounding land, said the Mayor.