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Wales Online
3 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Hundreds of homes planned for former Hoover site in Merthyr
Hundreds of homes planned for former Hoover site in Merthyr It would involve the demolition of current buildings as well as the inclusion of a community hub with shops and businesses as well as open spaces with active travel routes The former Hoover factory in Merthyr Plans to demolish the current buildings at the Hoover site in Merthyr Tydfil and build more than 400 homes there have been officially revealed. Walters Land Limited has submitted an application for up to 441 homes on the site in Pentrebach which would also include a community hub with shops, financial and professional services, food and drink, business and non-residential institutions and it would also include employment land for business, industrial and storage and distribution uses as well as open spaces including active travel routes. An area for what the application calls a potential community heat hub has also been identified and as part of the overall strategic plans within the replacement local development plan (RLDP) it would safeguard land and access for a metro station and a new park and ride facility but the station would not be delivered as part of this planning application. The application says that the vacant, previously developed site is a key development site in the county borough and is a key regeneration opportunity. It says that the site forms a key element of the 59 hectare Hoover Strategic Regeneration Area which is expected to contribute 20% of the total housing requirement of the revised local development plan (LDP). This plan involves demolition of the current buildings as well as ground reclamation and remediation. To get all the latest Merthyr Tydfil news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here. Article continues below The former Hoover manufacturing plant opened in 1948 and employed up to 5,000 people at its peak manufacturing washing machines but production finished in 2009 after which it was used mainly as a warehouse and distribution centre. In 2024, Hoover announced it would be withdrawing its remaining operations from the site. The site for this application covers an area of almost 16 hectares with three separate land parcels including the former Hoover Candy factory site area, former car park and pump station. The main site area is made up of the former Hoover Candy manufacturing plant including the manufacturing plant to the south and the assembly plant to the north with an access road to separate the two plant buildings. The southern area of the site includes a disused bowling green, pavilion and cricket pitch. In between the bowling green and Pentrebach station is an area of rough ground which is used for storage. Another storage area is located to the north of the bowling green at the location of former tennis courts and a helipad is located on the northern edge of the cricket pitch. A car park, former social club and gatehouse is located in between the cricket pitch and the Hoover manufacturing plant area. A new storage building which was formerly a polystyrene plant lies to the west of the car park and the social club. Article continues below At this stage all matters apart from the main access are reserved for subsequent approval, the application says.
Wales Online
30-04-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Housing site that could have delivered hundreds of homes is scrapped
Housing site that could have delivered hundreds of homes is scrapped There was a lot of opposition to the potential housing site in north east Barry, but the council is now saying it won't be considered due to "deliverability" issues Vale of Glamorgan Council is no longer considering a controversial housing site in Barry (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) A site in Barry that could have delivered hundreds of homes is no longer being considered by Vale of Glamorgan Council due to concerns over its future deliverability. The local authority recently announced that it hopes to put plans for new housing sites in Barry out for consultation soon. One of the three sites, land near Weycock Cross in north west Barry, replaces the originally proposed site between Argae Lane and the Barry Docks link road in north east Barry. There were concerns over the deliverability of this site after doubts emerged over whether or not the parcels of land that made up the proposed allocation would be sold. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Vale of Glamorgan Council's cabinet member for community engagement, Cllr Ruba Sivagnanam, said: "The population of Barry is growing, meaning so is demand for homes, particularly affordable housing. 'In order to meet this need, the Council has identified three sites in the town for possible housing development, the largest being near Weycock Cross. 'If agreed by Cabinet, a consultation exercise will begin shortly, offering all interested parties the chance to share their thoughts on the proposals. Article continues below 'We want everyone to have quality homes in safe neighbourhoods and believe developing sites such as these will help deliver that.' The council's proposed housing sites are linked to its plan for future development, also known as the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP). A plan of the site in north east Barry (Image: Vale of Glamorgan Council ) Local Development Plans (LDPs) are used by councils to determine which sites are used for housing and which sites are used for industrial development. They are also used to lay out which sites should be protected from development. The proposed sites for housing in Barry that could go out to consultation are as follows: Land at Hayes Lane in the Bendricks - 54 homes Land at Neptune Way on Barry Waterfront - 40 homes Land near Weycock Cross in north west Barry - 376 homes Under the original proposal for the RLDP, the north east Barry site was earmarked for 900 homes. The council said the site could eventually help deliver 1,500 homes, but 900 of these were proposed to be delivered during the RLDP period (2021-2036). Some objections were raised about the use of this site, with residents living nearby fearing a loss of green space and the potential strain on roads and local services. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) also raised concerns in relation to the proposed scale of development and the site's proximity to the Barry Woodlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In terms of why the council has decided not to use this site, all it said in its most recent statement was that it "is no longer being considered due to concerns about deliverability". A council cabinet report says that whilst the council received statements of intent from landowners to sell the land on site, they did not get sufficient evidence to guarantee that this would happen. The report states: "Whilst statements of intent to release the site for development have been received by the Council for a number of the development parcels, as the plan progresses there is a need for further certainty from all parties in the form of appropriate evidence, such as signed heads of terms, demonstrating commitment from the respective landowners that there is a common agreement on the delivery of the site. "The Council has actively engaged with the site promoters and landowner representatives throughout the process. "However, insufficient evidence has been received in respect of full landowner agreement to give sufficient confidence that a site of the scale originally envisaged can be brought forward within the plan period. "Further time spent seeking to resolve these matters will lead to significant delays to the RLDP timetable. "Whilst a smaller site involving fewer landowners could potentially be delivered, this would result in a smaller quantum of development that would be unable to support the proposed mix of uses that are deemed critical to the effective placemaking of this site, and relate poorly to the existing settlement pattern. "In addition, it would be more challenging to deliver the active travel improvements necessary to reduce the car dependency of the location." Vale of Glamorgan Council said the area in north west Barry is being considered "as it is in a suitable location within reasonable walking and cycling distance of Barry station and range of other services and facilities". If they had gone ahead with the site to the north east of the town, it would have required improvements to infrastructure, including the upgrading of highways and pedestrian and cycle access from Gilbert Lane and Argae Lane. Article continues below The closest rail link is Cadoxton Railway Station, which is about 1km away. If the council's cabinet members approve the latest proposals at a meeting on Thursday, May 1, there will be an in-person engagement event to discuss them and there will also be a chance for people to share their thoughts online and by telephone.
