Councillors demand investigation into Gladstone Estate planning decision
Thirteen Flintshire County councillors have submitted a formal complaint raising serious concerns over the conduct and decision-making of the Planning Committee during its approval of the Gladstone Estate housing application at Gladstone Way and Ash Lane, on the border between Hawarden and Mancot.
The application for 300 homes, including 105 affordable houses managed by ClwydAlyn Housing, was granted planning permission on 11 June despite around 700 formal objections submitted over several years.
More than 1,100 residents have since signed a petition calling for the decision to be overturned.
The land is allocated for development in Flintshire’s current Local Development Plan (LDP).
At the committee meeting, the vote to approve was 6-4 amid heated debate and angry scenes from the public gallery.
Some members of the committee reportedly described residents’ objections as ‘crap’ while others admitted to not having read any public objections, claiming officers instructed them not to.
Councillor Sam Swash (Flintshire People’s Voice), who coordinated the letter, warned that the development would place further pressure on already stretched local services.
He noted that the local GP practice in Hawarden operates at more than double the recommended patient-to-GP ratio and cited warnings from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board about capacity problems across north-east Flintshire.
Other councillors and residents raised concerns about the loss of local village identity between Hawarden and Mancot, overdevelopment beyond original plans, and increased flood risks downstream in Mancot, Sandycroft, and Pentre.
Hawarden Community Councillor Ant Turton described personal experiences helping flood-affected residents and criticised the development’s drainage plans and limited contributions to local schools.
Councillor Adele Davies-Cooke emphasised the loss of valuable agricultural land classified as some of the best in Wales, warning of its impact on local food security.
Despite these objections, committee member Cllr Chris Bithell said the council’s hands were tied, explaining that opposing the application would likely lead to an appeal and automatic approval by a planning inspector due to the land’s LDP status.
The formal complaint by the councillors highlights serious procedural concerns, including a councillor’s alleged predetermined position in favour of approving all LDP sites, raising questions about impartiality.
They also pointed out inconsistencies in the committee’s approach, citing recent rejections of applications in Northop Hall and Oakenholt on similar grounds such as overdevelopment, lack of infrastructure, and traffic concerns—issues dismissed for the Gladstone Estate application.
The letter states:
“This selective application of planning policy not only sets a dangerous precedent but has severely undermined public trust in the planning process and in Flintshire County Council more broadly.”
The councillors have called for a public investigation into the Planning Committee’s conduct, a review by the Council’s Monitoring Officer into possible procedural unfairness and bias, and the use of the Council’s powers to revoke planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
They have also warned that the Council could face potential legal challenges if it fails to act on the concerns raised.
Cllr Swash added: “If the Council wants to restore a semblance of public confidence in its ability to represent the residents of Flintshire, then it must act swiftly and decisively to right this injustice. Residents must know that their voices count – and that this debacle will not just be swept under the carpet.”
The 13 councillors who signed the letter are: Cllrs Alasdair Ibbotson (Penyffordd), Andrew Parkhurst (Cilcain), Andy Hughes (Connah’s Quay Golftyn), Ant Turton (Hawarden & Mancot), Carolyn Preece (Buckley Bistre West), Chrissy Gee (Broughton South), Dan Rose (Buckley Bistre West), Dale Selvester (Queensferry & Sealand), David Richardson (Connah’s Quay Golftyn), Gillian Brockley (Hawarden & Aston), Linda Thew (Northop), Marion Bateman (Northop), and Sam Swash (Hawarden & Mancot).
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