PRESSURE from angry Newport residents has overturned plans for 77 homes on a site full of prefabs.

Bovis Homes wanted to replace 22 condemned prefabs at Ridgeway with a complex of two and three-storey town houses and flats.

But the plans prompted petitions, letters and a fiery public meeting. Residents said the homes would bring traffic jams and blight the landscape.

Now Bovis have withdrawn the plans and are trying to come up with something more acceptable to residents.

Ridgeway Action Group chairman Malcolm Schulze, 53, of Ridgeway Close, said: "This is great news. The density of the plans was far too great.

"Seventy-seven homes on to that site was ridiculous. They would've towered above surrounding houses.

"We aren't against development of the site. Why can't Bovis build large family homes? They'd still make a lot of money."

Edgar Jones, a resident of Redbook Road, said: "These plans would have altered the character and nature of the area. "I'm very pleased they've been withdrawn."

The development of two to four-bedroom homes would have taken 1.03 hectares of land around the junction between Ridgeway Park Road and Ridgeway Close.

The land is surplus to the needs of Newport Housing Trust, and could be sold to help it fund the replacement of Newport's ageing prefabs with new bungalows.

Anger over the plans sparked a public meeting on February 26, attended by Allt-Yr-Yn ward councillor Matthew Evans.

He said: "This is a victory of sorts after the huge opposition to the project. But it's only the first hurdle and we believe the plans were only withdrawn out of necessity. Bovis simply didn't think they would get planning permission."

A spokeswoman for Bovis Homes said: "We are currently reviewing our plans for the Ridgeway following concerns raised by local residents and councillors.

"We are liaising with members of the community through a number of focus groups we are running to help address the issues raised over our initial application." She said Bovis aims to present a new design statement for the site to the council. If that is accepted a new planning application would be submitted.