The latest phase of a major housing development in Rhondda Cynon Taf includes plans for nearly 550 homes. It’s part of the Llanilid development approved in 2010 which overall includes plans for 1,850 homes, a new primary school and a new town centre.

It’s being developed in several stages and this latest reserved matters application relates to stages 5-8 with plans for 543 homes and associated infrastructure. The 543 units proposed would include a mix of housing types from one or two-bedroom apartments to terraced, semi and detached two, three, four or five-bedroom houses.

Phase 5A, the northern part of phase five, will include 80 units in total with 56 four-bedroom dwellings and 24 five-bedroom dwellings and each of the 80 units would be offered for sale on the open market.

Phase 5B, the southern part of phase five, includes 99 units in total with four one-bed dwellings, 39 two-bedroom dwellings, 39 three-bedroom dwellings, and 17 four-bedroom dwellings with 80 units offered for sale on the open market and 19 to be affordable units of accommodation.

Phase six includes 150 units with four one-bedroom dwellings, 51 two-bedroom dwellings, 67 three-bedroom dwellings, and 28 four-bedroom dwellings and 124 of these would be for sale on the open market and 26 to be affordable units of accommodation.

Phase seven includes 82 units in total made up of 29 two-bedroom dwellings, 39 three-bedroom dwellings, and 14 four-bedroom dwellings with 63 units offered for sale on the open market and 19 to be affordable units of accommodation.

Phase eight includes 132 units in total comprising four one-bedroom dwellings, 47 two-bedroom dwellings, 57 three-bedroom dwellings, and 24 four-bedroom dwellings. with 108 units offered for sale on the open market and 24 to be affordable units nof accommodation. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here

Vehicle access would be from the A473 to the north, the part existing and part
proposed highway to the south and from the existing phase two area via Enterprise Way to the east.

The report said that green habitat corridors surround the plot along its boundaries and the proposals included keeping and enhancing hedgerows and treelines within the development site.

The report said that the scheme had been amended three times since submission, once in July, 2024, to bring the proposed house types in-line with the developer’s current range, again in January this year to overcome initial highway concerns and again in September to overcome initial concerns regarding the affordable housing mix, but all these issues had now been resolved.

There was one public letter of objection which raised concerns about the impact on biodiversity, potential flood risk, the lack of infrastructure, amenities and affordable housing in the area, traffic congestion, the loss of amenity space and claimed large developers worked on the basis of profit and greed.

In recommending approval, planning officers said the principle of developing this site for residential purposes along with the
associated primary school and town centre was accepted by the council in the granting of the original hybrid planning permission in January, 2016.

They said: “The proposed scheme will deliver 543 modern, high quality new homes, including 20% affordable provision, in an area of high demand.

“The development would have no undue impact to the character and appearance of the area, the amenities of neighbouring residents, or highway safety in the vicinity.

“Further, through considerable discussion and negotiation, acceptable ecology mitigation/enhancement measures have been agreed.

“The application therefore complies with the relevant local and national planning policies and is considered acceptable.”

The reserved matters application which considers access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale will go before RCT’s planning committee on Thursday, October 23.