Planning committee urged to reject 300-home Hawarden plan
Flintshire People's Voice councillor Sam Swash - who represents the Hawarden Mancot ward - has supported residents' campaigning against plans to develop on agricultural land at Ash Lane off Gladstone Way for six years.
With Flintshire County Council planning officers recommending approval of the scheme this week, Cllr Swash has asked councillors to back Hawarden residents who have opposed the plans since they were first proposed.
"This is the most unpopular housing development in Flintshire's history," said Cllr Swash.
"It has led to the largest petition ever submitted to Flintshire County Council, hundreds of placards being erected across the local community and the most objections to a single planning application in the county's recent history."
Read more:
300-home Ash Lane, Hawarden development backed for approval
Opposition to developing the land began in 2019 when the agricultural fields between Gladstone Way, Ash Lane and Park Avenue on the Hawarden/Mancot border were first included in Flintshire's Local Development Plan.
Opponents quickly formed an action group - Stop the Gladstone Estate Development - and a Facebook page to oppose the plans.
The land - now owned by Castle Green Homes - continued to be earmarked for development in the county's 2015 Local Development Plan. In March last year the application was submitted to Flintshire County Council's planning department to build 300 homes - including 104 affordable homes - on the site.
Of 697 neighbours notified of the plans during consultation, 684 objected to the plans. There were also objections from Hawarden Community Council and Queensferry Community Council with regard the impact on flood risk on the proposed site and the surrounding areas and the pressure the development would place on local services, while Clwyd Badger Group were concerned about the impact on badgers active near the site.
Nevertheless officers have recommended approval of the scheme, subject to a Section 106 order which would see Hawarden Village School receive just over £625,000 to make improvements to serve the new estate while Hawarden High School would receive almost £950,000.
Cllr Swash believes the weight of local opposition means councillors on Flintshire's Planning Committee should refuse the application when it is considered on Wednesday at Flintshire Council's Ty Dewi Sant headquarters.
"For those councillors with a vote on Wednesday, there is no more hiding behind the Local Development Plan," he said. "They must now judge this site on its own merits, or lack of them.
"The choice facing them is a simple one - they can vote to stand with the people they're elected to represent, or they can vote to approve a demonstrably reckless plan for the benefit of private housing developers.
"The Hawarden community has been completely united in its opposition to these plans for years, and with good reason. This is the council's final opportunity to restore our community's trust in local democracy, by listening to the overwhelming views of the people this development will impact on a daily basis."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
5 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Industrial estate with 13 business units planned in Powys
PLANS for a mini industrial estate that could boost the local economy in the south western tip of the county have been lodged with Powys council planners. The application for by Mr and Mrs Evans is to set up 13 commercial storage and light industrial yard compounds which would help 'small business development' at land off the former Haul road west of Brynygroes, in Ystradgynlais. The scheme would also see compound security fencing, access gates for each of the units. The site is near a development of 110 houses which are currently being built at Brynygroes. Planning agent Richard Banks of Evans Banks Planning Limited explained the proposal in a planning statement. Mr Banks said: 'The site is capable of delivering 13 small / modest commercial plots suitable for low-level starter and small businesses in search of a small compound to store plant and machinery or to provide storage and distribution. 'The proposals would be seen as utilising the existing haul road for all access in very much the same manner as the former opencast site would have regularly required HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicles) access to and from that development. 'Multiple daily lorry movements to the opencast site were commonplace.' Mr Banks explains that the applicants know that there is a demand in the area for these types of units. He said: 'The applicants have experienced such small business demand for modest storage and light industrial space at their facility at Woodlands Business Park at Ystradgynlais. 'A total of 210 storage containers have been placed on plots three and six at the business park, and the take-up and demand for that new storage facility has been overwhelming. 'The applicants are of the firm opinion that a uniformly laid out series of small commercial compounds at the Haul Road site would provide for small business to have a modest base at Ystradgynlais to store vehicles, plant or other commercial equipment.' Mr Banks adds that the applicants have already discussed the proposal with county planners last year and said that they 'broadly support' the principle of such development. Mr Banks said: 'The development of the site will ensure a deliverable source of future employment land for the Ystradgynlais growth area in which it lies, which has seen an under supply of commercial opportunities prior to and since the adoption of the current LDP (Local Development Plan). 'The development of the site will help to redress this imbalance.' A decision on the application is expected by July 31.
South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Pendragon pub plan decision upheld after appeal by applicant
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council's Planning committee on Thursday, June 5 councillors were told of the successful appeal defence by development management team manager Steph Hopkin. She told councillors of the result as part of a number of updates that are a regular agenda item at committee meeting covering on ongoing appeals and Developments of National Significance. Mrs Hopkins said: 'On the Penndragon in Oak Street in Abertillery since we wrote of the report the decision has come through following the hearing on April 1. 'I can confirm the case was dismissed and the application for costs was refused.' Mrs Hopkins told councillors a report on the appeal out would be presented at the next committee meeting. Concern at how lorries will access proposed solar farm through narrow lane Town council unanimously opposes controversial depot expansion plans In September 2023, Thomas Lewis of the Highmore Group lodged a planning application with Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council to convert the former Pendragon pub on Oak Street from a vacant care facility back into a public house with rooms for let. In November 2023 planning officers rejected the proposal, and they judged it to be 'contrary' to policies in the county's Local Development Plan (LDP). Council planners said that approving the application: 'would generate a level of increased noise and disruption detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring residential properties.' The building had been a pub until it's closure in 2014 and had at one stage been the home of Abertillery rugby club. In 2015 a planning application to change its use to a 'mixed use support facility' was granted permission by the authority. But the care facility closed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Highmore's lodged his appeal with PEDW last year and a hearing into the issues was held on April 1. Welsh Government appointed planning inspector Ian Stevens then visited the site on April 2. Mr Stevens said: 'At the hearing I heard from residents living close by of past issues when the building was a public house, including alcohol-related incidents of noisy and anti-social behaviour outside the premises including late at night, which caused disturbance to residents nearby. 'I appreciate that I do not have any historical records before me of formal complaints made to relevant bodies. 'However, the residents' anecdotal descriptions are compelling and point to the intimate relationship between the appeal property and adjacent dwellings.' Mr Steven ssaid that it was suggested at the hearing that these issues could be addressed through the approved premises licence. But he explained that that a premises licence and planning application are not assessed in the same way. He was also referred to the other nearby pubs for comparison. But the flaw in doing this is that a 'direct comparison' cannot be formed because of the different circumstances around each of them. Mr Stevens said: 'I have found that the effects of development on future occupants in the letting rooms could be managed through internal acoustic treatment. 'However, the comings and goings of patrons including the use of external areas so close to residential properties would, through increased noise and disturbance compared with its existing lawful use, cause unreasonable harm to living conditions of nearby occupiers.' Due to this he believed the proposal is contrary to policy in the Local Development Plan. Mr Stevens said: 'For the reasons given and having regard to all other matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.' He also dismissed the appeal for costs.
Edinburgh Reporter
6 hours ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
East Lothian Council set to review parking in new developments
Housebuilders in East Lothian may have to provide far fewer parking spaces in the future as the council considers changes aimed at reducing car use in towns. Midlothian Council is set to give the go ahead to changes this week which will drastically reduce the number of spaces required at new developments and East Lothian Council has said it will also be reviewing its current guidelines. The changes follow new Scottish Government policies which give priority to developers who propose ambitious low or no car parking plans. A report due to go before Midlothian's elected councillors this week from officers outlines changes including reducing the number of car park spaces for visitors to housing estates from one for every two homes to one for every 20 on urban sites. They will also reduce the number of spaces for users of new sports facilities with any stadium built with over 1500 capacity allowed no more than one space for every 150 seats. A report due to go before Midlothian Council's planning committee next week for agreement says the new standards have been influenced by the Scottish Government's goal of reducing private car use. It says previous policy which advised developers the minimum number of spaces required for housing will be replaced with new rules setting out the maximum allowed. The new standards will also require that 10 per cent of visitor spaces provided have an electric charger in place alongside minimum cycle parking places and EV charger spaces being introduced across all new developments. A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said that while no changes have been made to its parking standards policy 'yet' it was about to be reviewed. They said: 'These standards will be reviewed as part of the preparation of our new Local Development Plan. 'This review will have regard to the Scottish Government's recent national planning policy stating that development proposals which are ambitious in terms of low/no car parking will be supported, particularly in urban locations well-served by sustainable transport modes and where they do not create barriers to access by disabled people.' By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
