ALL long-term plans to build housing in Chepstow have been flatly rejected by the town council as a recipe for either 'gridlock' or destruction of the green belt.

Only the idea of building on Mabey Bridge's huge 19 hectare riverside site behind the railway was given a luke warm thumbs up as a 'preference' for long term development. But, as councillors stressed, if, and if only, a plan is designed and practically delivered to resolve 'inevitable' traffic congestion and to permanently boost public transport.

Former mayor, Cllr Armand Watts, described the proposal for nearly 400 houses on the current Mabey Bridge industrial site as: "Trying to put an elephant through the eye of a needle".

He said: "You've got to remember, Chepstow is divided. There's an English side and a Welsh side. There are big developments planned in Lydney not to mention around Wyedean School itself. These developments alone could add 1,000 cars coming through each day – and that's no exaggeration. Is there enough government money available to develop a bypass, or bridge or even tunnel under the Wye? Frankly we know there isn't.

"Unless the government in Wales is talking to the council's in England, we just have to say no. We simply can't do this to the people of Chepstow."

In a heated debate, other councillors disagreed, but did reject virtually every long-term development put on the 'preferred list' by Monmouthshire County Council's Local Development Plan, barring the brownfield Mabey site.

"We know we are in a rock and a hard place," said Cllr Paul Rutter. "We know the county council want to develop Chepstow. It is proposed to take 24 per cent of the increased housing in Monmouthshire, more than any other town in the county. We know we are close to the Severn bridge, we know people commute, and will carry on commuting to Bristol."

He proposed a statement offering tacit support for a 'preferential development' of Chepstow's dockside brownfield sites (Mabey), but only if a proper plan was developed 'and delivered' to resolve transport issues and significantly improve public transport. His motion was passed.

Of the other plans discussed:

•Hywel Ddu behind the fire station in Chepstow – rejected because of traffic problems and a "big problem with parking" (Cllr Hilary Beach).

•: Land at Mounton Road - rejected as a loss of green belt.

Similarly, loss of land at Crossway Green (opposite the Forensics Lab), Wye Valley Link Road and Wyelands Estate.

Councillors said they feared the town was being expected to bear the brunt of housing development in Monmouthsire but that it would bring no prosperity to the town itself.

They were also fearful that allowing any development on the outskirts of town would lead to a loss of valuable agricultural land and a merger with outlying villages like Pyllmeric which would destroy the individuality of the town and the villages.