CAMPAIGNERS have lost a two-year battle to stop two houses being built on their traffic-clogged street.

Residents of Freeholdland Road, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, have been fighting plans to build two homes on the site of a former garage.

They say the road can only take one-way traffic because of parked cars, and more houses will make it worse.

But at a planning meeting this week, councillors approved the proposal despite opposition from ward councillors Lewis Jones and John Marshall and objections from bus company Stagecoach.

Councillor Marshall said: "I don't think that this should be up for development. If you go up there any time in the evening you will see buses mounting the pavement when schoolchildren are walking. Surely that's not right. This is a very dangerous road and it is just waiting for something serious to happen."

Councillor Jones added: "There is more traffic using this road than has ever used it before. There are terrible problems with parked cars and this will only make things worse."

Resident Ceri Worwood lives opposite the proposed development. "Safety should be the main concern here," she said. "Has there been any consideration for the residents?"

Terry Wyburn, assistant operations manager for Stagecoach South Wales said: "It is extremely congested with parked vehicles, making the road single track for some considerable distance. The situation gives rise to northbound vehicles being forced to drive on the pavement."

But applicant Mary Kingsbury said the houses would be in keeping with the street.

"Accessibility and safety for vehicles would be improved," she said. "We appreciate the concern of local residents, however the two houses would have their own off-road parking. There would be far less traffic than when it was a garage."

Councillors on the planning committee agreed that there were considerable traffic problems on the road, but had to consider the application on its own merits.

They said if they refused the plans and the applicant appealed, they would lose the appeal and have to pay thousands of pounds.