Controversial housing development proposed on former Swansea mining site
The development faced three objections over sewage capacity, wildlife and water pollution at its consultation stage
Plans for a 160-home housing development on a former mining site in Ystalyfera have been submitted to Neath Port Talbot Council.
The proposed development at the former Tirbach Washery, accessed from the A4067 near Gurnos Industrial Estate, would include a mix of one-bedroom flats and two, three and four-bedroom houses.
Residential roads, parking and other infrastructure would also be built on the brownfield site, which was previously used in connection with Tirbach Colliery.
Developers say the scheme would help meet local housing needs and regenerate land which has remained underused since the washery closed.
However, concerns were raised during a public consultation in 2023, when three objections were recorded. These included potential pressure on the public sewer network, risks to local wildlife and the possibility of pollutants entering nearby waterways.
A coal mining risk assessment has also highlighted the possibility of an unrecorded mine entrance beneath the site. It recommends establishing its precise location before construction begins.
The proposals would require vegetation to be cleared and the remains of buildings and foundations associated with the former industrial site to be removed.
The application was submitted in September 2026 and will now be considered by planning officers at Neath Port Talbot Council.