Lisvane homes development set for public inquiry

The new development would be called Churchlands and be north and east of Lisvane

Controversial plans for 1,200 new homes on the outskirts of Cardiff are set to go to a public inquiry later this year.

It is 18 months since the proposals near Lisvane first emerged and council planners will next week discuss their position, ahead of the inquiry in May.

More than 90 residents have objected and the council has concerns about traffic and community facilities.

The houses would be built on farmland and within an area already set out for thousands of new homes.

But there is concern that this is a "piecemeal" development and has not been put forward as part of the wider master plan looking to build up to 46,000 new homes in the city by 2026.

Guernsey-based South Wales Land Developments are behind the outline plans covering more than 47 hectares, south of the M4.

Included in the Churchlands development would be a park and cricket pitch.

But a report to the city's planning committee points to:

• Worries over the impact of traffic

• A lack of social housing

• A failure to adequately provide community and school facilities

Lisvane Community Council said it would have "a major effect" on the village of 1,300 homes while the local community association said it would "double the population of Lisvane".

Local councillor David Walker says: "There are major concerns about the lack of provision for traffic".

Cardiff Central MP Jenny Willott MP said it threatened to undermine the city's "green corridors".

The council has been in talks with the developer which "whilst productive" were not part of the application.