RESIDENTS from in and around Chepstow gave their views on the contentious Mabey Bridge development site at a public meeting last week.

Around 30 people packed into the town council chambers for the meeting, organised by deputy mayor Councillor Marc Le Peltier.

Almost all of those in attendance were for the development but the general consensus was that town infrastructure should be addressed first.

The proposed development of up to 450 homes - scaled back from the initial figure of 600 - would be accessed from the Station Road junction along the A48.

A traffic plan, formulated by the applicants Savills and the Welsh Government, would create a one-way system by re-routing traffic turning right towards Tesco around the Nelson Street car park.

The plan estimates that traffic would increase by 4 per cent, which was described by Cllr Le Peltier as "complete nonsense".

He added: "I'm not against the plans, we need housing, but my problem is that our infrastructure is already creaking at the seams."

Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay said the plans would "effectively turn the car park into a roundabout" and called them "totally unacceptable".

Speaking at the meeting, he added: "It seems potty to me. You're taking traffic off a main trunk road and and putting it on an ancient side street."

Mr Ramsay told residents that he would take their views to the Welsh Government's cabinet secretary for infrastructure, Ken Skates, AM to try and tackle the traffic issues.

Being a governor at St Mary's Primary School, Cllr Le Pelter also brought up the issue of schools and the oversubscription that would arise.

One resident raised the issue of healthcare, saying: "New homes without infrastructure and the current GPs would leave Chepstow Community Hospital swamped.

"It is continually being downgraded – it's a white elephant."

Tidenham parish councillor Nick Evans called for a "cross-border taskforce" to be set up due to a "lack of consultation either side of the river" between Monmouthshire, Forest of Dean and Gloucestershire councils.

Christopher Wilson of the Chepstow & District Rotary Club said there was a “negativity” about some of the views at the meeting.

He said: “We should be positive, we’ve got the opportunity to develop a beautiful waterside location.

“We do need an effective traffic plan but with that, this development could be great asset to the town and for the future."