AN inquiry into a planning dispute on Rockfield Road in Monmouth was held last week at the town's Shire Hall.

Planning representatives from Monmouthshire County Council met with corporate land planners to resolve an appeal launched against the council in 2013.

The planning dispute dates back to 2008, when planners put in an application to build up to 145 homes on a site named Rockfield Road West.

The site sits adjacent to the new Parc Glyndwr development on Rockfield Road, but unlike its completed neighbour, this plot has yet to be approved by council planners.

An 'appeal against non determination' was launched by land planners Hallam Land Management in August 2013, as it had been more than four years since the application, and the county council had failed to make a decision in this time.

George Ashworth, Head of Planning Place and Enterprise at Monmouthshire County Council, said: "There were a number of long-running issues in relation to the site, such as the need for drainage studies, and to await the outcome of the Charles Church application adjoining to the west.

"As a result, until the appeal against non-determination was lodged this year, Hallam Land had seemed content to leave the application undetermined.

"In parallel, they had also made the case that their site should be allocated for housing in the nearly finalised Local Development Plan (LDP)".

Planning inspector Kay Sheffield chaired the public inquiry at the Shire Hall last week. Present were representatives of the town and county councils, as well as the land planners.

After the appeal was lodged, the county council decided to refuse permission for planning on the grounds that the site is too far away from town, as it sits outside the Town Development Boundary; that the Special Landscape Area (SLA) needs to be preserved; and that it is a premature development before the LDP is finalised in mid-February.

If they gain planning permission for the site, the Hallam Land Management will go on to sell the site for development.The public inquiry has now ended, with inspections of the site being held yesterday (14th January).

It is expected that the inspector will take some weeks before she issues her decision, but no date has been fixed.