Former Mold auction gallery to be demolished to make way for new flats

A former auction gallery in Mold town centre will be demolished to make way for new flats.

Flintshire Council’s planning department has given outline permission to proposals for residential apartments to replace the old Victoria Auction Galleries on Chester Street in the town.

The building ceased being used as an auction house by Dodds auctioneers in 2018.

According to a planning statement submitted by applicants the Lingfield Group, the development provides an opportunity for “high quality, mixed residential apartments to be provided within the centre of Mold”.

It adds: “The proposed development could comprise a three-storey building offering one and two bedroom apartments for the open market.”

Car parking is also covered with the applicants intending to create a street level underpass through the apartment building, similar to that which forms part of the apartment complex on New Street in the town centre.

Whilst councillors on Mold Town Council backed the plans, welcoming regeneration in the area, they did share concerns about traffic and pedestrians trying to cross around the Tyddyn Street and Chester Road area.

According to the planning officers’ report, the issue of a potential increase in river pollution due to phosphates, which saw plans for a Costa Coffee drive-thru planned for Chester Road in Mold turned down last week, was not a concern with this development.

“The development was initially considered to have the potential to increase the amount of phosphorus being discharged from the site”, the report states.

“Following discussions with the applicant, information was submitted that identified that existing foul water flows from the site, given its proven occupancy, exceed the likely flows of the proposed residential use, using accepted phosphate load calculations.

“As such and in accordance with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) advice it is possible to screen the development out from causing a significant adverse impact on the SACs as a result of phosphates.

“NRW have confirmed that providing that it is possible for the authority to conclude that the development is not likely to have a significant effect on the SAC, they would have no objection to the proposal.”

Outline permission was granted in a delegated decision by the council’s planning department, subject to conditions related to highways and drainage.

By Rory Sheehan – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).