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A huge new development of homes, schools and community facilities in north west Cardiff could be approved next week.

The Plasdŵr development is described as a "21st century garden city" and will cost £2bn to bring to reality.

It will be built in north-west Cardiff and construction - as well as council approval - will take place in stages.

Where is it?

The huge site where the development will be constructed is to the west of Radyr, Fairwater and Pentrebane and to the north of St Fagans.

To the north is the A4119 and fields act as a buffer to St Fagans.

The land is one of the sites selected in the council's Local Development Plan - it is known as Strategic Site C.

What will be built?

The planning application going for approval next week is outline permission for a mixed-use development.

It would be built in phases with more detailed applications for the specifics of the scheme to be decided at a later date.

In total the scheme would include:

Up to 5,970 homes

Three local centre including homes, shop and services

A new district centre including food shops

Community and healthcare facilities

Three new primary schools and a secondary school

Open space including allotments and parks

New road junctions

In total, 30% would be affordable housing with 50% of that being social rented homes and 50% low cost homes.

What will it look like?

(Image: UGC MWL)

There will be a mix of different size houses and streets.

The final number, position and type of houses is not yet known but would be applied for at a later date.

The application up for approval is for up to 5,970 residential units.

(Image: UGC MWL)

They would mainly be family homes and it is thought around two thirds of them will be three or four bed homes.

The scale of the homes has also to be decided but they will vary from between 11m and 24m above ground.

"The lowest building heights are proposed in areas adjoining existing communities, where a max ridge height of 11m (up to 2.5 storeys) is proposed."

There will be "green corridors" running through the site.

Hasn't this already been approved?

Redrow Homes are the lead developer.

They have already had approval for two sections which fall into the first phase.

They are set to start work to the north of Llantrisant Road in Radyr on the first 126 homes of 630 which have been approved along with a primary school which will follow within four years.

It also expects to start work before the end of the year on 290 homes to the south of Pentrebane Road which have already been approved.

The application that will be considered by the city’s planning committee next Wednesday includes the masterplan for the entire 900-acre site including the first phase of works.

Transport

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A bus strategy is one of the requirements and that includes five different potential routes running in or around the development.

There would be two express routes for buses and around 12 buses an hour during peak commuter periods.

To keep buses moving, bus gates - which only allow buses through - are planned.

There will be main roads, a safeguarded tram train route for the proposed Metro, quiet streets and shared streets for pedestrians and cyclists. In total, the developers say there will be 17km of new cycle routes.

The design includes connections between the site and the railway stations nearby and there would be a financial contribution to improve pedestrian or rail facilities at stations.

Are people in support?

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The planning application being debated next week has a huge number of objections from residents, councillors, AM and MP.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

They say that altogether the new homes in the north west of Cardiff will increase the population by at least 22,585.

They say while there is some capacity at present for new patients at their services in Cardiff, there will be shortfall with a growth of such numbers,

"Current GP surgery provision will be insufficient".

"There will be a significant demand pressure placed on a range of existing primary care health services".

They say they cannot predict the impact on hospital facilities.

Radyr and Morganstown Community Council

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There are 16 objections covering everything from sewage infrastructure to power cables.

They say it is "unrealistic to expect the same level of cycle use as in Amsterdam" and that there are existing traffic problems.

St Fagans Community Council

They say the proposal doesn't "adequately deal with the issues raised and demonstrates a lack of respect for the concerns of Cardiff residents".

It adds there has been "no community engagement or true consultation" and the development will not bring a "full range" of jobs as promised.

They say that transport improvements should be put in place before any new residents move in and do not want to see the loss of "considerable green open space and farmland".

"Inadequate attention is given to the potential for flooding," it reads.

Objections

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Conservative Councillor Rod McKerlich, Neil McEvoy AM and former MP Jonathan Evans all objected.

A number of objections have been submitted by residents. There has been a 208-strong petition, 130 individual letters of objection, 14 objections from local home owners and objections from Radyr Golf Club.

What will the developers have to do?

As part of the approval, the developers will have to meet a number of requirements. They are:

30% affordable housing

Land for a secondary school (given over by the time the 3,000th home is built) and £18m to pay for the new building

Land for three, two-form entry primary schools and a payment of £5.3m if they are not delivered in a set timescale

A district centre and three local centres

Community facilities

A healthcare facility

£14m towards improving roads

£6.3m in bus subsidies

A travel plan

£230,000 to Network Nail to replace waiting shelters at Waun Gron Park, Fairwater and Danescourt as well as cycle storage at Danescourt

A bin for each house (at a cost of £60 each) as well as litter bins on the streets

Open space

Drainage

£29,850 towards monitoring air pollution

Will it be approved?

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The planning committee have a site visit coming up so they can see the site themselves. But the recommendation from the planning officers is for them to approve the plan.

The recommendation is for the outline permission to be granted.

Planners say: "the principle of development has been firmly established".

"In delivering a District Centre, three local centres, a secondary school, three primary schools, employment, community and health facilities, on and off-site public transport, walking and cycling measures, and extensive green infrastructure, the site will help deliver the council’s vision for the site.

"The application has been planned in a comprehensive and integrated manner, with links to both the existing built up area and to the other developments approved within the strategic site, and will deliver a high quality, sustainable and distinctive development.

"As the majority part of the largest of the eight strategic sites, the application plays a crucial role in the delivery of the LDP strategy and the urgently needed housing, including affordable housing.

"Its scale allows numerous outlets to be operating at any one time in different parts of the site, assisting in the delivery of housing at the required rate.

"There are no demonstrable or compelling reasons which indicate sufficient harm to warrant refusal of the application, with all material factors, policy implications and issues raised through consultation satisfactorily addressed. It is recommended that planning permission be granted."

Wayne Rees, project director for Plasdŵr at Redrow, welcomed the recommendation for approval.

“The proposals for Plasdŵr underpin Cardiff’s adopted LDP on a site already approved for development. With that in mind, plus today’s recommendation for approval by planning officers, we are optimistic that this last application will be approved in a week’s time,” he said.