Blueprint for almost 7,000 new homes in Flintshire to take important step forward

A blueprint for almost 7,000 new homes in Flintshire is set to take a major step forward.

Flintshire Council is currently preparing to approve its draft Local Development Plan (LDP), which indicates land where houses could be built in the county over the next decade.

The two main sites identified are the Northern Gateway, where detailed proposals for almost 300 houses were recently approved on the old RAF Sealand South Camp, and Warren Hall in Broughton.

lt also includes a number of locations where new businesses could be brought in, resulting in the creation of up to 10,000 new jobs.

The LDP is set to be considered by members of the authority’s ruling Labour cabinet at a meeting next week, ahead of a full council meeting in July.

The authority’s chief executive Colin Everett acknowledged that some housing sites may prove contentious.

However, he said it was important that the council could show it was meeting targets.

He said: “We’re hopeful that the plan will get through – there will always be one or two sites that will be contested.

“Our advice to councillors is that the whole LDP needs to work as one.

“If you’re trying to get a balance, meeting housing and employment targets, we can’t just take one site out and assume it doesn’t have a knock on effect.

“You’ve got to look at it in the round and it’s been a very thoughtful piece of work over time.

“There will be debate, but we recommend to the council that they adopt it as presented.”

If the LDP is approved by both the cabinet and full council, a public consultation will be carried out for six weeks, starting from September 30.

In neighbouring Wrexham there was controversy over the inclusion of some green barrier sites in the council’s emerging LDP.

However, Mr Everett said Flintshire Council had sought to keep any developments within existing boundaries.

He said: “They’re all within designated settlements.

“You find there are mini pockets of land that are perhaps questionably allocated, but there’s no incursions into the principle green barrier.”

The draft LDP will be considered by cabinet members at a meeting on Tuesday.

Following the public consultation, the council will consider any comments submitted in either April or May next year.

It would then submitted to the Welsh Government in the summer, with a formal examination by an inspector to follow.

If it is approved, it would formally be adopted in summer 2021.

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).