THE application for a housing development of up to 200 houses located south of Mounton Road in Chepstow has been refused.

The application came before Monmouthshire County Council’s Planning Committee yesterday (Tuesday 10th December).

The main reason for refusal was that the development was seen to be contrary to the Monmouthshire Local Development Plan (MLDP) on a number of fronts.

The location of the site is outside the Chepstow Development Boundary and the MLDP states no development will be allowed outside of that boundary.

Planners also object to the site being in a designated green wedge area which will affect the “historic landscape” and will potentially lead to the growth of Chepstow towards the villages of Pwllmeyric and Mounton. Additionally, green wedge areas are given exceptional weight by Welsh Government planning inspectors if the decision was to be appealed at a later date.

The planning committee’s report also determined that the new development would seriously undermine the deliverability of the Fairfield Mabey site in Chepstow which is a part of the MLDP.

The development, if passed, would fail to preserve the setting of the adjacent Grade II Listed Building, St Lawrence House, which makes a significant contribution to the area.

Finally, the application was also refused because no agreement had been reached as to how the required road improvements to High Beech roundabout would be secured.

The refusal will be welcomed by the 46 residents who submitted objections and a number of community councils who also recommended refusal.