A DEVELOPER who planned to build homes on a former golf course and donate a new park to the public has said "the people of Newport have lost out".

Newbridge Construction wanted to build 150 homes on part of the former Tredegar Park golf course, and pledged to give the rest of the course to the council for recreation.

The plans were turned down by Newport council this week because of flood warnings from the Environment Agency.

But Nigel Phillips, an agent for developers Newbridge Construction, said the plans had ample flood protection for the River Ebbw and also increased flood defences downstream around Duffryn.

He said: "It's the people of Newport, and especially Duffryn, who have lost out.

"Two years ago developers had to defend housing against a one in 100 years flood. But since last summer the authorities want protection against a one in 1,000 years flood.

"It's totally over the top. Our plans protected against a one in 200 years event. It's too early to say whether we are going to appeal. But we haven't lost the idea of putting homes there."

The donated 31 acres of recreation land, a wedge bordered by the M4 and Forge Road, could have been used for games pitches, a cycle path and even a wildlife reservation for bats and otters but the final decision would have been the council's.

Peter Williams, development control manager at the council, said the plans created more capacity to deal with floods than would have been lost to development.

And councillor Miqdad Al-Nuaimi, chairman of the planning committee, said: "It's a bit of a dilemma. It's a site we would wish to see some development on.

"But the Environment Agency is hiding behind the flood classification.