A public consultation for houses on the site of the Troy railway station has been slammed by town councillors as being unsatisfactory.

The plan to build 28 houses has got off to a rocky start as councillors felt the consultation process has been “disappointing” as WPM Planning & Development, acting on behalf of RD Investments appear to have written an email to only one member of the planning committee “alerting him to the on-line consultation document” over the Christmas period.

This further contributed to difficulties in the council corresponding with residents and stake-holders and they have only very recently obtained archived information regarding previous planning applications for this site.

Consequently, town planners requested a two-week extension to the consultation period on 22nd January.

In order to facilitate the consultation, councillors set about delivering letters alerting residents in the area adjoining Troy Yard to the on-line documents and process and collected responses.

Members of the community then attended planning committee meetings to voice their concerns and some have met with councillors separately.

Some of issues raised included concerns about the loss of existing foot and cycle paths and increased traffic and congestion on access roads. Other concerns included disruption during any building work and it is thought that contaminated land on the site had been sealed with a layer of clay and that will be disturbed.

While Monmouth Town Council are in favour of increased supply of housing, they are however “determined that the drive by commercial developers to build for profit must be tempered by robust pressure from local government to provide housing that meets the needs of the community, both new and existing neighbours, and the town in its access to amenities”.

Councillors noted that the planned affordable housing is grouped together at one end of the development and feel that “this approach to “ghetto-ising” rented housing at the perimeter of developments of private housing, is out-dated, and divisive” and prefer to see rented and affordable properties integrated through the proposed development.

Councillors are also concerned that the footpath indicated on the proposed plans is an inadequate replacement commenting: “Plans for foot and cycle paths should reflect the spirit and the letter of the Active Travel and Health and Wellbeing Acts”.

There is a current application in process to have the footpath/cycle-way leading from Troy Gardens through the proposed development site and on over the Duke of Beaufort Bridge leading onto Redbrook Road.

Councillors feel this would need a three metre footpath through the proposed housing site to “allow a cyclist or a wheelchair user or walking aid user access to the footpath at the same time as a pedestrian”.

Councillors, and residents, are concerned that increasing housing stock is not matched by increase in facilities such as GP surgeries and schools and would like that point properly addressed to the planning authority, Monmouthshire County Council.