"£8m cost of rejecting homes" - Torfaen council leader

Councillor Bob Wellington last week supported the outline Planning application by a consortium of developers to build the houses on farm and woodland near Cwmbran Drive in south Sebastopol.

But the refreshed application was rejected when a majority of councillors voted against it at a heated meeting in Cwmbran on Thursday, leaving campaigners "elated" after a 15-year battle.

Councillors who voted against the plans raised concerns about the need for housing in the area, the impact on traffic, and the loss of the green space.

But the council's chief planning and public protection officer Duncan Smith reminded councillors they had already voted unanimously for the Deposit Torfaen Local Development Plan on February 15 which sets out the need for housing in the borough and includes the south Sebastopol site.

Cllr Wellington told councillors the developers would probably lodge an appeal and that the council would most likely lose.

He said: "We will lose £8 million and it will still go ahead. I have to ask you what have you gained if that is the case."

This money includes the council missing out on the legal agreement payout which would have provided it with £5,760,000 for improvements to education facilities, £175,000 for a subsidised bus service, improvements to some roads and roundabouts, a recycling centre and £35,000 for its servicing, a canal basin car park and leisure facilities.

On top of this would be any possible legal costs resulting from an appeal.

Cllr Richard Clark, ward member for Croesyceiliog North, also supported the planning application and said the loss of an appeal would mean cuts to services.

"When we lose this appeal, those of you who voted against it - I want you to justify to your citizens which services are going to be cut," he said.

Members of the packed public gallery shouted "emotional blackmail" and "disgraceful".

But several councillors including Margaret Pead and John Cunningham said their vote would not be influenced by the possibility of an appeal being lost by the council.

Cllr Cunningham, ward member for Upper Cwmbran, said: "I am not going to allow myself to be influenced by any type of threats. I'm going to make my decision today on the information I've heard."

Asbri Planning Ltd told the Argus on Friday that there was a "strong likelihood" an appeal would be lodged but was waiting to see the decision notice before deciding on its strategy.

Following the meeting, cllr Wellington said he was unable to comment further, only adding: "What I said in the council meeting and my vote is a matter of record."

Torfaen council announced earlier this year that it would be making £9.2 million worth of savings during 2011/2012 with large scale cuts from areas including schools, housing and social care.

Carole Jacob from Torfaen Friends of the Earth said cllrs Wellington and Clark had made true and "obvious points" and was not surprised to hear them.

But she said there is a greater cost than money which is the cost of people's environment and their lives and said the councillors were "clutching at straws" to sway the vote.

Mrs Jacob was impressed with those councillors who voted against the plans.

She said:"The council was very brave in biting the bullet.

"I found it very rewarding that people began to value the environment over money. "

She added: "It's a tough world and whatever decisions we make people are going to suffer one way or another but we have to make the right decisions for future generations."