PLANS for two sets of semi-detached houses have been granted planning permission – despite being located in an area prone to flooding.

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning Committee voted to approve the application for the site in Blaina on Thursday, July 22 – despite officers saying it should be refused.

In her report, planning officer Joanne White had recommended refusing the application made by Antony Williams, as it would be in a flood zone.

At the meeting agent for the applicant, Russell Pryce of DBD Planning and Architecture, argued in favour of the development.

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Mr Pryce said: “The development is acceptable in all aspects apart from policy-based flood risk objection.

“However, we consider there are strong material planning considerations to indicate to indicate the site is not in fact at risk of flooding.

“NRW (Natural Resources Wales) and the Welsh Government are also in the process of replacing the current flood risk maps for planning.

“This will be used to inform the acceptability of future developments in flood risk terms, it is already available on the NRW website.

“The site and all the surrounding area is not identified as being in a flood zone in their new mapping system.”

He added that the Ebbw Fach river runs underground in a culvert in this part of Blaina, and he believed that the new flood zone planning maps would come into force later this summer.

“I hope you can recognise the special circumstances that warrant the approval of this application, said Mr Pryce.

The site is in an area designated as a C2 Flood Zone – meaning there is no “significant flood defence infrastructure”, and only “less vulnerable development” should be allowed.

Cllr Lisa Winnett, the county borough councillor for Blaina said: “In all my life I have never known that area to flood at all.

“NRW are updating their maps, which supports the application I do feel there are overriding reasons why this should be allowed.

Cllr Wayne Hodgins pointed out that in the Local Development Plan, the area had been “identified as suitable for housing.”

Cllr Keith Pritchard said: “Reference has been made of the new NRW maps that we’ve not been provided with; can I suggest we defer the decision until we’ve seen these new maps.”

Cllr John Hill said: “There are new maps out, it’s all a question of time and I think with the conditions on to the planning that we should just go ahead and approve it.”

Planning services development manager Steve Smith said: “The maps are indeed available online, the issue is that they indicate their intention to change the maps, they have not yet been adopted by the Welsh Government.

“What we are saying is that there is not sufficient discretion in TAN 15 (Technical Advice Note) for us to approve this application.

“This may change in the coming months or years, but at the moment we are duty bound to bring a recommendation to you based on the information as it stands today.”

Committee chairman, Cllr Denzil Hancock put the application to the vote and councillors voted to approve the plans.