RESIDENTS in Caldicot have voiced their concerns about a 130-home development proposed for the eastern side of the town.

The offices of Caldicot Town Council hosted a heated debate between members of the public and representatives of HGH Planning regarding the Church Farm scheme.

Along with housing, the proposals would make use of around 25 acres of land east of Church Road to create a new community park.

Up to 30 people packed into the meeting on Thursday as councillors allowed those behind the scheme to give an update on the plans.

Alfie Yeatman, a senior planner at HGH, said: “There is a significant undersupply of market and affordable housing in the area.

“This would be a logical opportunity to complete the eastern part of the town with up to 130 homes, with 40 units being affordable.

“The plan will bring economic benefits to the town in creating jobs during the building process and management of the site, while bringing more residents and more expenditure in the town as well.”

Mr Yeatman added that the outline planning application is due to be uploaded onto the Monmouthshire County Council website in the coming days.

The scheme’s masterplan was unveiled at public exhibition in February but Julie Griffiths, speaking on behalf of a group of residents, claimed that the initial consultation was “exceedingly limited”.

Concerns were also raised about the existing infrastructure on Church Road and the town in general coping with traffic, given the nearby housing developments at Crick Road and Sudbrook Paper Mill.

The meeting heard that the proposed development would generate an additional 55 trips per hour at peak times along Heol Trothy and Heol Sirhowy.

A southern access from Heol Teifi has also been proposed by planners.

But one resident complained that HGH Planning had failed to show a comparison with the “significant” existing traffic levels on the roads.

Another resident criticised the decision to leave Caerwent out of transport surveys, saying additional traffic would have an impact impact on the nearby village.

“If residents can’t get down Church Road they’ll go through the narrow roads towards Caerwent,” he said.

“These narrow arteries are being squeezed, and there’s going to be a heart attack there before long.”

Town councillors also weighed in on the debate, with Councillor Jimmy Harris describing the transport methodology as “fundamentally flawed” and Councillor Sharon Tovey lamenting estate agents selling Caldicot as a “commuter town” to workplaces in Newport, Cardiff and Bristol.

Town and county councillor Tony Easson also raised concerns about other areas of the town’s infrastructure.

“There are plans for 900 houses to be built in this area. Grayhill Surgery is struggling and every school is bursting at the seams apart from Ysgol Y Ffin,” said Cllr Easson.