Plans for starter home development in Treuddyn refused by Flintshire Council

A small housing development planned for land near Mold has been refused by Flintshire Council.

An application had been submitted seeking to build a terrace of three, two-bedroom starter homes on a site once occupied by ten miners’ cottages, at Ffordd Corwen, Treuddyn.

But the development has been rejected by the authority with reasons provided, including that it would be a “new development in the open countryside” and would be “unsympathetic to the character and appearance” of the location.

Houses, shops and a café, since demolished, were based at the site as far back as 1871, according to the planning documents.  The site forms a gap within a community of houses dating back to 1912.

In a statement submitted with the planning documents, by the agent on behalf of the applicants, had argued that the location should not be considered “open countryside” and is a brownfield site.

The statement added: “The site is overgrown with large sheds, scrap cars etc situated on the site for many years, it is felt that a proposal of this nature would provide much needed housing for the area.

“The application seeks to make the most efficient use of an overgrown, brownfield site which is unused and an eyesore within an established community of housing.”

Writing notice of the decision to reject the plans, Flintshire Council’s Chief Planning Officer Andrew Farrow said: “In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the application site does not meet the criteria of policy HSG5, namely a limited infill development in a small gap of houses with a continuously developed frontage.

“As such it represents new development in the open countryside, for which insufficient justification has been given.

“In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority (LPA) the design of the dwellings proposed is incongruous and unsympathetic to the character and appearance of the street scene and would not add to the quality and distinctiveness of the locality.”

He added: “In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposal has not taken account of issues of land stability or demonstrated that appropriate measures have been or will be taken to ensure land stability and safety.

“Insufficient information has been submitted with regard to the level of phosphates arising from the development and affecting protected sites. It is therefore not possible for the LPA to conclude that phosphate levels attributable to the scheme would not have a likely significant effect on the River Dee and Bala Lake SAC (Special Area of Conservation).”

Rory Sheehan – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).