Inspectors call for removal of Warren Hall housing site from development plan

Planning inspectors have called for a proposed site for 300 new homes to be removed from a key development blueprint.

A hearing was held in September after “significant concerns” were raised regarding the Warren Hall site in Broughton.

The land is earmarked for both housing and commercial use in Flintshire Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP), which sets out where building could occur in the county over the next decade.

However, fears were raised over its suitability for housing due to it being close to the final approach for aircraft landing at Hawarden Airport.

The two inspectors currently examining the LDP have now written to the local authority to formally ask for the housing element to be removed.

In their letter, Siân Worden and Claire MacFarlane said: “Thank you for hosting the further hearing on the Warren Hall site and for providing additional information in advance of it.

“We found the discussion at the hearing to be thorough and helpful in addressing the matters of site selection, sustainability, financial viability and development constraints.

“Nonetheless, on the basis of the concerns raised at the hearing session, we conclude that the site is not in a suitable location for housing development and that the soundness of the plan requires this to be omitted.

“We intend, therefore, that the site should be retained as an allocation in the LDP but for employment uses and a commercial hub only.”

Airbus previously warned the height of the houses would need to be restricted with residents likely to be impacted by high noise levels.

The planemaking firm, which uses Hawarden Airport to transport wings from its factory in Broughton, later held talks with the council and Welsh Government officials to discuss its concerns.

It led to the council agreeing to measures to ensure aircraft safety was not compromised.

But the inspectors have instead asked for the LDP to be amended to take the site out.

They added: “We appreciate that you may be disappointed by our findings.

“If you are content to accept our recommendation, however, it would be helpful for matter arising changes (MACs) implementing the change to be included in the draft MAC schedule and thus covered by the consultation exercise.

“We would also request that you consider whether amendments are required to the site allocation boundary as a result of our findings.”

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).