The Caerphilly Homes team, responsible for delivering housing services at Caerphilly County Borough Council, has announced it will be formally submitting proposals for the development of an ambitious new mixed tenure housing development on the site of the former Oakdale Comprehensive School.
The council has already carried out feasibility studies to assess the suitability of the brownfield site. If planning proposals are approved, the development would be the first of its kind for the council in offering open market sales, alongside affordable and social housing.
A pre-application consultation has been undertaken and the council has responded to comments raised by the local community. Included in these comments were concerns around proposals for secondary access to the development through Penmaen Estate. As a result of these concerns, the council has amended the access strategy for the site by retaining eastern access through the boundary of the development and removing the southern access point.
Traffic concerns were also raised by the local community; the council has advised that traffic movements from the new development will be fewer than the site’s previous use as a comprehensive school.
The council has also confirmed that the Community Infrastructure Levy will be used to deliver the infrastructure needed to support the development, as this was a common theme raised during the consultation.
Extensive investigations have been undertaken in response to queries around potential subsidence on the site and no evidence of this has been found. The council has also confirmed that plans for the development will enhance its green spaces and retain most of the existing trees on the site, particularly those around the periphery.
Options are currently being explored for the potential relocation of the existing multi-use games area (MUGA) on the site and the community will be kept updated on proposals.
Cllr Shayne Cook, the council’s Cabinet Member for Social Care and Housing, said “If the plans are approved, this brownfield site presents a wealth of potential to provide much needed new social housing to help meet increasing demand, alongside opportunities for first time buyers to get onto the property ladder through low cost home ownership.
“We understand there have been some concerns within the local community and offer assurance that these issues have been taken on board and addressed as part of the planning process. We’re also committed to ensuring the local community is kept updated as plans for the site progress.”
