A PLAN for 149 homes next to a new Costa Coffee drive-through in Newport has been given the green light, despite concerns over parking provision and garden space.

The Old Town Dock development site between Usk Way and East Docks Road is set for more homes after Newport City Council’s planning committee approved plans for a second residential development.

Work has already started on the new environmentally-friendly coffee shop and housing has already been built at the site, which was developed as phase one of the Old Town Dock development.

Of the 149 homes to be built at the site there will be seven one-bedroom apartments, 14 two-bedroom apartments, 46 two-bedroom houses, 76 three-bedroom houses and six four-bedroom houses.

Newport City Homes submitted the application, which includes 85 afford

able homes, or 57 per cent of the scheme.

In the planning committee there were concerns that some of the houses would have fewer parking spaces than required.

There were also concerns that despite the developer putting in the infrastructure so that electric vehicle charging points could be brought in later down the line, they wouldn’t be installed as part of the development.

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Cllr William Routley said: “I would have liked to have seen less build, better quality, in regard to garden size and parking provision.

“We are building here a recipe for disaster.

“We are desperate for housing. Desperate people will accept desperate situations and desperate conditions.

“I find this unacceptable at this time.”

Several other councillors echoed his views. However, they were told that highways experts had no issues with the number of parking spaces and that this development was one of the better ones.

The committee was also told that the garden space met the council’s requirements.

The development will benefit from five separate access points. Access to the apartments will be provided via the carriageway approved as part of the drive-through development.

The approval of the application is subject to a section 106 agreement where the applicant would have to contribute financially to education and leisure facilities.

The education contribution would be £267,699 to improve facilities at John Frost High School, while the leisure contribution would be £216,141 to upgrade and maintain outdoor play space at Pill Playing Fields and the Riverside Park.

Council officers have the power to withdraw approval for the application in the event that the section 106 document is not signed within a four-month period.