THE WELSH Government's planning inspector is examining this week the thorny issue of where Monmouthshire proposes to build some 4,000 new homes.

The examination by inspector Siân Worden follows on from the 13 and a half hour meeting held at Cwmbran's County Hall in July 2011 when the authority debated the draft Local Development Plan and a meeting in Caldicot where the cabinet debated the adoption of the plan in November 2012.

But despite pleas from local pressure groups, individuals and local members themselves, the authority approved all but one of the developments to be included in the plan - only a scheme at Raglan was dropped from the long list of proposals.

The inquiry began on Tuesday with opening statements and policy content while the inspector outlined the procedural requirements.

The examination carries on for the rest of this week and into next week and includes housing provision, spatial distribution, specialist housing provision including affordable and proposals for the growing elderly population.

A number of individuals and pressure groups will be making their own presentations against the proposed developments, including Mardy Against Deri Developments who are against the scheme to have a large development of over 200 houses built on the designated farm site while the Grosmont community are apposed to land adjacent to Poorscript Lane being earmarked for the development of 15 homes.

Robert Moggridge spoke on behalf of Action for Sustainable Grosmont at the original hearing and suggested that the authority was using outdated data and added: "The site which the LDP proposes for development is outside the natural village boundary on a greenfield site on good agricultural land and any building on site will have a visual and sensory impact on the existing landscape."

However Ben Jones, the owner of Grove Farm in Llanfoist, has initiated a proposal to create a senior residential community development on his land, a proposal that was rejected by the Monmouthshire authority.

He said: " Our proposal for the elderly village at Grove Farm was narrowly voted to be left out of the LDP. We made a very succinct and evidently persuasive argument which moved numerous new council members in seeking more time and information.

"We feel that in addition to issues raised in previous representations, there are still significant soundness concerns with the plan, namely the policies over housing provision in the county and for those people in need of care.

"We will be making our representations at this examination as there is significant lack of consideration with regard to the housing needs of older people. "

A landowner from the Old Hereford Road has also told the inspector that he felt that Monmouthshire's decision to exclude land in his ownership from the LDP was 'very unfair.'

Mr Ewers outlined his argument and said that his land was improved grassland adjoining an existing housing development. He added: "It is not ancient woodland, unimproved meadow, wetland or known for any endangered species or plants. It is not a wildlife corridor by any stretch of the imagination.

I do not believe it is too late to moderate the LDP to include my very worthwhile site in the current plan."

Crucorney Community Council has also made a representation, as members believe that the amount of construction work already being undertaken locally will put existing services to the limit.

The statement adds: "It will be impossible to maintain the current standards to this proposed new development without having to undertake major alterations at the school and street lighting."

Representations made by developer Johnsey Estates suggest that the numbers of dwellings should be increased from 4,000 to over 5000 to meet the actual needs in the County.