LAST week I highlighted the ludicrous plans proposed by the Vale of Glamorgan planning department and Labour-led administration to site 576 houses, plus a 500 car park and ride on the doorsteps of the existing residents of Cosmeston and Lavernock.

This area of the Vale is increasingly, very quickly grinding to a halt with the only available routes into Cardiff through the Merrie Harriers and Culverhouse seriously over capacity and now failing in their purpose of providing access to Cardiff and beyond.

Chuck into the mix the groaning general services infrastructure and only an idiot would think that constantly building houses in this same corner of South Wales is an intelligent idea.

The residents of Cosmeston have already seen a noticeable massive increase in traffic volumes over just the last 12 to 15 months and what the prospect of 1,000 new homes in the Sully, Lavernock and Cosmeston ward plus a Park and Ride in addition to the generated traffic from thousands of new houses going up in Barry will mean for Penarth also is not really anyone’s guess but a guaranteed recipe for a log jammed conurbation that barely copes with present conditions.

The absence of any major new employment projects in the area dictates that virtually all of these proposed new houses will add to the statistic of the Vale already being the largest daily commuter dominated county in Wales with all (clogged) roads heading towards Cardiff each day.

I am grateful for cabinet member and current Penarth Cllr Lis Burnett in her response to my criticism for alerting Vale residents that the intention of her Labour party led Vale of Glamorgan council in association with the Welsh Assembly is to complete the concreting over what’s left of the green belt in the Eastern Vale as soon as is practically possible.

Kevin Mahoney

Independent councillor

Sully and Lavernock