An application for outline planning permission to build 1,800 new homes at the Coed Darcy development near Neath has been submitted to Neath Port Talbot Council by St. Modwen Developments, the UK’s leading developer of new communities and high-quality homes.

The new planning application registered this week (23 February 2022) covers around 316 acres (128 hectares) of the former thousand-acre BP oil refinery acquired by St. Modwen in 2008. It is the culmination of more than two years of detailed research, partnership work and community engagement, to arrive at an exciting new masterplan that will reinvigorate Coed Darcy, and meet the current and future needs of the region.

Central to the new application is the creation of 1,800 sustainable and low-carbon homes, with the potential to deliver much of the new housing needed across Neath Port Talbot for the next 15 years. The application also includes land for a new school, commercial activities and employment uses, as well as large areas of public open space and landscaping, all linked through a network of active travel links across and beyond the site.

Working with planning consultants, Savills, a formal pre-application consultation was undertaken during October, with a website created to enable the public and statutory consultees to view and comment on the draft planning application documents. A paper copy was also available at Skewen Library on Evelyn Road, Skewen.

Commenting on the application and the creation of a new masterplan for Coed Darcy, Rob Williams, managing director of major projects at St. Modwen, said:

“The pandemic has changed the way people think about their living space, community areas, and the importance of work-life balance. Our new masterplan focuses on the principles of creating a ‘15-minute neighbourhood’, with the community able to access many daily needs within a short distance of their homes.

“While the scheme has evolved from the original planning consent, our vision for Coed Darcy remains just as ambitious and just as innovative. It will be more relevant and deliverable for the needs of the area, more sustainable, and aspires to be an exemplar for Wales.”

The application can be viewed on the Neath Port Talbot planning portal by searching for reference “P2021/1193”