MEMBERS of a group campaigning for a Dinas Powys bypass have hailed a major step forward after the Vale council leader announced the authority’s intention to apply for funding from the City Deal for the project.

The Dinas Powys Steering Group has welcomed Cllr John Thomas’ announcement on the bypass which is currently being considered as part of a traffic study in the village.

“We don’t want to sound too enthusiastic yet, but it feels as though Santa has delivered a big present for the Dinas Powys community. Things are certainly moving in the right direction,” said Vale councillor Andy Robertson.

Leader of the council Cllr John Thomas said that the transport and congestion issues affecting the eastern Vale are complex but residents should be assured that work is now well under way in assessing options available.

On the bypass he said: “The progress made since May has been in stark contrast to the years of inaction that have gone before.

“Only once this feasibility work has been completed can we start to consider how to implement any proposed solution.

“Work is currently under way on developing a business plan for the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal and I will be arguing the case for a number of initiatives to receive full and careful consideration as we move forward as a City Region.”

It comes as the group learned that the plan for 215 houses at the former St Cyres School site, which overlaps onto the proposed bypass route, will not come before the January 2018 planning committee.

“At this point of the route there is little scope for any variation from the formerly safeguarded corridor to enable a smooth alignment of the road,” explained Roger Pattenden of the Dinas Powys Bypass Steering Group.

“We maintain the line of the bypass was still reserved under the Unitary Development Plan, which was the only instrument of planning enforcement until June of this year when the LDP was registered,” said Mr Pattenden.

“But it’s not only the overlap use of land that is raising questions,” said steering group chairman Rod Harrod.

He said the report into the transport assessment “questions the lack of emphasis put onto the extra traffic the development will generate. It says that in future years the junction is forecast to be over capacity and will suffer significant congestion and delay”.

He added the impression is the assessment has short-comings.