Hope for house buyers
South Wales Argus: 20 February 2007
HELP could be at hand for first-time buyers trying to get a foot on Newport's housing ladder.
Charter Housing, one of the council's partner registered social landlords, want to build 35 new homes in Ringland – with 70 per cent affordable housing.
The land, near Ringland Way, used to have 24 flats and 56 maisonettes on it, but these were recently demolished and the land is now empty.
The developers want to build eight two-bedroom bungalows and 27 two-storey houses to vary in size between two, three and four bedrooms on the site.
They will be a mixture of homes to be sold on the open market, including low-cost homes and social rented units.
Newport council planning committee meets tomorrow to decide whether to allow the development to go ahead.
Council planning officers have recommended the plans should get permission.
Council officers for highways, education and leisure originally asked Charter Housing to pay £6,500 to move street lamps, and to contribute to local education and leisure facilities.
But planning officers say because of the very high level of affordable housing being offered, these requests are not reasonable.
Concerns were also raised about the scheme itself by the council's environment department who fear parking areas and buildings would be too close to existing trees.
Welsh Water also object to the plans and say the existing sewer system is already at capacity and that the development is premature.
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