Over 100 Raglan villagers turned out over the weekend to ‘Say No!’ to develop 111 houses on the edge of their village.

Protestors of all ages gathered to voice their dismay over a developer and Monmouthshire County Council blueprint they said 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 said would besmirch the ‘beautiful and historic’ settlement.

The site, according to planning documents submitted to MCC, comprises of open countryside dotted with protected-status trees.

Protestors have taken particular umbrage with plans as the boundaries fall outside of the council’s Local Development Plan. Councillors have earmarked the site, despite its status as outside of the LDP, because of a housing shortage in Monmouthshire, allowing the rules to be adapted. ??Alex Dyer, chair of the Raglan Village Action Group (RVAG) said they recognised the need for new housing, but called on the council to reconsider its options. ??“The residents of Raglan are supportive of sustainable development and realise the need for affordable housing in our village,” said Mr Dyer. “We were actively involved in the preparation of the current Local Development Plan (LDP) and look forward to being consulted for the imminent new one.

“However, being coerced into accepting such speculative large development is not the way for our representatives to present us with such matters,” he continued.

“I trust that the Planning Committee will take a pragmatic view here, refuse this application, then we will all be able to consider this site, alongside others, in discussions about the new LDP.

“Surely our council should be working with us, and for us, not against us?”??Mr Dyer gathers his opposition not just from the 100-plus present at the weekend’s demonstration, but from Raglan’s Community Council, which submitted a report opposing the scheme because it “breaches MCC’s own planning policies.” ??Penny Jones, Raglan councillor, and in attendance, said the plans posed too large a development for the village, contending in a letter addressed to MCC that the “character and charm of the village will be irrevocably destroyed.”

?The RVAG said current proposals would ‘incapacitate’ local infrastructure, with the 520 Raglan households being swamped by a 30 per cent increase when considered alongside another approved 45-home site nearby.

Opposition has brewed for months, with RVAG members spurring into action alongside local residents concerned that their ‘Healthy Footsteps’ village path cuts right through the proposed site.

The strength of feeling against the development also rests in 190 letters of opposition, including those authored by the Woodland, and Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trusts.

David Davies, the local MP, previously outlined his opposition, underscoring worries from local villagers that Raglan would ‘transform’ into a town, and that ‘significant impact’ would affect local services. ????Monmouthshire County Council defended its decision back on September 20, where a meeting upheld the plans to build outside of local development plan boundaries due to the need for more housing in the area.

That is a notion that RVAG acknowledges, but insists the site is ‘unsuitable’ and has called on both councillors and MCC officers to scrap the proposed development, adding that the ‘housing at any cost’ mindset rode ‘roughshod’ over ‘genuine and well-founded concerns of residents.’????MCC’s Planning Committee will make further decisions regarding the development on Tuesday, November 6.