University 'disappointed' by Caerleon housing site refusal

Newport council’s planning committee refused permission for more than 300 homes at the Caerleon site due to air pollution and traffic concerns.

USW say the move gave “little or no weight” to an agreement to develop a £60 million ‘Knowledge Quarter’ at its city centre campus.

But Councillor Jason Hughes said traffic levels at the campus before it closed in 2016 had been taken on by other developments in Caerleon.

“The capacity of the college has now been swapped by an in increased capacity in the town,” said Cllr Hughes, adding: “Any new development would just add to those figures.”

A Caerleon resident told the committee that traffic management in Caerleon was already at capacity without adding more vehicles on the road.

Up to 263 new homes would take the place of the former student halls and teaching buildings under USW’s proposals.

An artist's impression of how the development at the former Caerleon Campus could have looked
An artist's impression of what the redevelopment could have looked like

A further 47 units were planned in a conversion of the Grade II listed main building, Felthorpe House, TJ Webly and Ty Hywel.

Councillor Gail Giles, a long-time objector to the proposals, described the campus as an “iconic, important and loved part of our community”.

“Caerleon residents will speak out and fight strongly for what they believe is best for Caerleon,” said Cllr Giles.

But Councillor David Fouweather sympathised with USW, saying they were “stuck between a rock and a hard place”.

He added: “If we refuse, the university will either sell the site on to another developer who will face the same problem, or they [return to the site] and the traffic will be as it was during term time.”

Following the decision, USW moved to criticise the committee for turning down the “thorough and widely informed” application.

A spokesman said: “It is naturally disappointing that the planning committee endorsed a position that gave little or no weight to the shared ambition to develop the Newport Knowledge Quarter in the city centre.

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“It means that disputed expert figures on a traffic queue and a single mini roundabout – on which improvements were proposed – have overridden the development of higher and further education for everyone in the city.”

USW had planned to invest nearly £2 million in three schools – Caerleon Comprehensive, Charles Williams Church in Wales Primary School and Lodge Hill Primary School.

Caerleon's Lodge Hill School was oneof three local schools which would have shared funding from USW as part of the plans

A further £958,065 had been earmarked for play areas in Caerleon, and £344,384 for off-site roadworks.

Questions have now been asked on what the council would deem an acceptable use for the site, or how it would tackle existing traffic and air quality issues in Caerleon.

“‘No development, ever’ isn’t really a sustainable long-term position,” the spokesman continued.

“USW remains absolutely committed to developing and growing higher education in the city of Newport.

“We want to leave a positive legacy rather than a disused site and listed building at risk in Caerleon, and so we will be considering our next steps.”

Prior to the decision, the Newport Now Business Improvement District (BID) had urged councillors to consider the effect of the decision on the Knowledge Quarter.

Alan Edwards, chairman of the BID, said: “It is the BID’s long-held view, shared by most of our members, that Newport desperately needs more students living and studying in the city centre.

“An increase in student numbers via the proposed Knowledge Quarter project has the potential for significant positive impact on both the day and night time economies in the city centre.”