Residents say Portskewett will not cope after homes go-ahead

A community group has been set up to object to the proposals, despite the plans already being given the green light, and met this week to discuss the next stage of their challenge.

One of the applications for the site south of Crick Road was put forward by Melin Homes, and covered the development of 269 houses and a play area.

The second application was submitted by the county council and covered design aspects of a dementia-friendly care home.

Residents say the proposals are irresponsible and will cause gridlock and heap further pressure on already oversubscribed schools and doctors’ surgeries.

“Monmouthshire council has not been responsible in ensuring the correct infrastructure and provision is in place before giving this project the go-ahead,” said Brian Wheeldon, who lives on the Tree Tops estate in Portskewett.

“Crick Road is already too narrow, and the plans include narrowing it even further to accommodate the development.

“This will mean gridlock on mornings and evenings when articulated lorries come here and meet on a bend.”

Mr Wheeldon also questioned the likelihood of a safe cycle route, which the council has included in its proposals, if the homes that are built do not have driveways. Only five of the 269 will benefit from private drives.

“We have no problem with the idea of a development of a care home,” he added. “We are saying it is irresponsible to swamp the site without appropriate planning.”

Another resident of Tree Tops, who wished to remain anonymous, said his initial concern was that local services will not cope if the development goes ahead.

After moving to the area in 2012, he says he rarely uses the local surgery due to long waiting times and has been unable to get his daughter into the Archbishop Rowan Williams school, despite living just a few hundred yards away.

Monmouthshire County Council is yet to comment.