A PLAN setting out how up to 2,130 new homes could be built across Monmouthshire, with half of them affordable, has been described as a “Wales first”. 

The blueprint sets out where land in the county is used for housing and employment through to 2033 but has been delayed by the pandemic, revisions demanded by the Welsh Government to reduce the number of homes and this summer’s general election. 

Members of the county council’s place scrutiny committee were presented with the latest version at its October 10 meeting and also heard from three Monmouthshire residents opposed to the designation of land at Leasbrook as a strategic site for up to 270 new homes in Monmouth. Twenty written objections were also received. 

The town was the last to have a strategic site identified as a block on new development couldn’t be lifted until a solution to phosphates entering the river Wye was identified. 

All councils in Wales must produce the development plans and Paul Griffiths, the cabinet member responsible, said Monmouthshire’s has earned praise for policies such as demanding half of new houses are affordable and all are “net zero carbon” in that they produce as much energy, through technology such as solar panels, as they use. 

The Labour councillor said: “Fifty per cent affordable housing is a Wales first. No other local authority in Wales is as ambitious.” 

The net zero policy was also described as a Wales first which Cllr Griffiths said he has spent “a lot of time” talking to developers about while the council’s housing market assessment supports the 50 per cent affordable policy and developers are aware of it. 

Cllr Griffiths said: “Fifty per cent of Monmouthshire people can’t afford to purchase open market housing and that’s not surprising with average house prices of £400,000.” 

The councillor said the plan would deliver land for 2,000 new homes and of the 1,000 affordable homes 660 would be for social rent, through housing associations, and 330 “intermediate low cost housing” such as shared ownership. 

In total there is provision for up to 6,210 new homes including 4,080 already in a ‘land bank’ which either already have permission or have been built since the previous plan officially expired in 2018. 

There is also an allocation of 48 hectares of land for employment use, to support the creation of up to 6,240 new jobs over the plan period, which Cllr Griffiths described as equivalent of “100 football pitches for employment land”. 

Councillors raised concern regarding the proposed housing site in Monmouth, the impact of 146 new homes at Mounton Road on congestion in Chepstow and 770 homes planed for ‘Caldicot East’, north of Portskewett. 

Questions were also raised about a proposed 500 new homes east of Abergavenny, which Cllr Griffiths acknowledged would be dependent on creating pedestrian crossings across the A465 Heads of the Valleys dual carriageway. 

Abergavenny Labour member Laura Wright said the consultation must take on views other than objections. She said: “We have to ensure the voices of the people it’s intended will benefit from this plan get to be heard. People who are working full time, looking after young children are consistently under represented in local government.” 

Four members of the cross-party committee said the plan should be further developed before the full council is asked to approve it for consultation. The other four were satisfied it should move to the next stage. 

If the council agrees to the consultation at its October 24 meeting the six week period would run from November 4 to December 16. The council would then be asked to submit it to the Welsh Government in July 2025. 

An inspector would examine the plan in the autumn and if acceptable it could be adopted as the council’s planning policy from May 2026.