Petition with more than 2,500 signatures submitted against potential Mancot housing site

A petition containing more than 2,500 signatures has been handed over opposing a potential site for 280 homes in Flintshire.

A section of green barrier land between Ash Lane and Park Avenue in Mancot has been included in Flintshire Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP), which guides where development can take place.

The plot is owned by the Gladstone Estate, which is intending to submit a formal planning application with Anwyl Homes to build the properties.

However, objections have been raised in the local community, with a campaign group called “Stop the Gladstone Estate Build” set up to fight the proposals.

It has seen placards displayed in front gardens across Mancot and Hawarden amid concerns that schools, GP surgeries and other local services will struggle to cope with the extra demand caused by the development.

A petition calling on the local authority to remove the site from its LDP was handed over at a full council meeting on Tuesday (July 26, 2022).

Presenting the signatures at County Hall in Mold, Hawarden Aston councillor Gillian Brockley said: “I’m delivering this petition on behalf of 2,527 residents across Hawarden, Aston, Mancot and further afield who are opposed to the Gladstone Estate build.

“Anyone who has driven through our community will have seen the boards in gardens.

“During the last election, across Hawarden Aston and Hawarden Mancot, hundreds of voters displayed posters in their windows pledging to only back candidates who oppose this development.

“The flaws with this site are many and various, from near-lethal incidents with sinkholes to settlement coalescence, affordable and social housing and pressure on existing education facilities in our community.

“Our residents request that their elected representatives should make a democratic and accountable decision on this site’s inclusion in the LDP.”

The council’s LDP is currently in the latter stages of being examined by Welsh Government inspectors, who are expected to issue a final report in the near future.

Once adopted it will be used to advise on locations where up to 7,000 new homes could be built in the county up to 2030.

Senior officers will consider the petition and whether any action needs to be taken in response to it at a later date.

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).