CONTENTIOUS plans to build up to 111 homes in Raglan village go before a planning inspector today.

The outline application for housing on land off Monmouth Road in Raglan was called in by the Welsh Government after being approved by Monmouthshire council.

Hundreds of residents have objected to the plans, while a protest march and public meetings were also held before the proposals were approved in November, last year.

Arguments will now come before a planning inspectorate at a hearing taking place at Monmouthshire council’s County Hall in Usk.

Applicant Richborough Estates says the plans will bring up to 39 much-needed affordable homes for the area.

“Those in need of affordable housing are real people and their need is a real need now,” the applicants say in their comments to the planning inspectorate.

“It would be inappropriate to delay taking action to address these needs on the basis of an emerging plan that remains some way from adoption.”

But campaigners say the development is too big for Raglan, arguing the village does not have adequate infrastructure for the amount of homes proposed.

The plans were called in by the Welsh Government in December, with concerns the application did not give priority to more sustainable forms of travel.

A letter calling in the application said, “The transport hierarchy as set out in national policy appears to have been ignored as the report gives highest priority to the motor vehicle, then to public transport and no priority to more sustainable forms of transport or travel.”

In response the applicant said that some job opportunities will be available in the village, mitigating the need for travel.

It is also claimed that residents will be able to cycle 7.5 miles to Monmouth and 5.5 miles to Usk to go to work.

But campaigners from the Raglan Village Action Group say this expectation is “not realistic.”

The group also says it is “highly unlikely” that those who have cars would choose to commute by bus due to limited services.

Opponents the scale of the proposed development is out of touch with the local area, that infrastructure would not cope, and that the village of Raglan would balloon in size by one-third ‘overnight’.

Over 100 Raglan villagers held rallies at the end of last year, saying ‘No!’ to the development of 111 houses on the edge of their village, insistent that the MCC plans should have never been given the go-ahead.

Opposition centres on a large housing development mooted for a green field site edging Raglan Village, which campaigners have said would besmirch the ‘beautiful and historic’ settlement. The strength of feeling against the development was previously set in 190 letters of opposition, including those authored by the Woodland, and Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trusts.

A letter seen by this newspaper then revealed that the Welsh Government’s head of planning rejected the application pushed through by Monmouthshire County Council on November 7.

Addressed to MCC’s Mark Hand, head of planning, the letter stated that under powers held by the government, the council must not grant permission for 111 homes planned for Raglan. The letter, authored by the head of planning decisions, stated that ‘further consideration’ must be given as to whether or not the application should be referred to Welsh ministers.