Appeal launched after Flint housing plans refused due to ‘overdevelopment’ concerns

An appeal has been launched after a bid to demolish a house in Flint to make way for 18 new ones was refused.

An application was made to Flintshire Council in November 2019 to develop land at Bryn Road in the town, which is located near the Mill Tavern pub.

However, permission was turned down by the local authority’s planning committee in August last year because of concerns it would represent the “overdevelopment” of the site.

The lack of detail about the proposed road layout was also highlighted as a reason for the scheme being rejected by councillors despite officers recommending approval.

Niall Wallace, who is behind the proposals, has now lodged an appeal with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales in a bid to have the decision overturned.

In a statement addressing concerns about highways matters, an agent acting on his behalf said the development would lead to improvements to the road network.

They said: “The reason for refusal in relation to highway matters suggests that ‘the proposal has an insufficient highway layout’.

“My investigations have confirmed that the professional officers of the council have no concerns in the ability for an acceptable standard of access and site layout to be achieved.

“Indeed, the professional officers of the council recommended approval of the planning application subject to further details being provided at the reserved matters stage.

“My investigations and conclusions are wholly compatible with the views of the council officers and there is no evidence to support the reason for refusal that was determined by the members of the council.

“I have concluded that there can be no reasonable highway, traffic or transport grounds for resisting the grant of outline planning permission.”

The agent said the plans would allow Bryn Road to be widened along the entrance to the site frontage to accommodate two-way traffic and provide a footpath.

A decision will be made on the appeal by a planning inspector appointed by the Welsh Government at a later date.

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).