Town Council objects to former Jehovah’s Witness meeting hall in Connah’s Quay being turned into bedsits

Connah’s Quay Town Council has objected to plans to convert a former Jehovah’s Witness meeting hall into eight bedsits.

Permission was granted in October to change the use of the Kingdom Hall in Tuscan Way, Connah’s Quay into three apartments.

However, according to planning documents, a review of the current housing market has led to the proposed changes.

Councillors sitting on the town council’s planning committee objected to the plans at a meeting on Wednesday evening on the grounds it is an “inappropriate development at that location to near pensioners properties.”

Concerns were also raised that there are already “too many flats and bedsits in that location and it will turn into a ghetto.”

The property was originally put up for sale by the group who used it in September 2017 due to ‘changing circumstances’.

In a planning statement written on behalf of the developer, they said: “Following the granting of the planning permission noted above, the applicant carried out market research on the current local needs for rentable accommodation.

“The proposals looks to satisfy current demand for new, high-quality accommodation that is affordable to workers in the area and young individuals/couples looking to move out of their family home.

“The units will be priced at a level comparable to house of multiple occupation rooms making an attractive alternative to shared accommodation.

“There is a lack of property currently available in to challenge this market competitively in terms of price, the proposal aims to achieve this whilst offering a superior level of quality and individual facilities.”

Comments are currently being invited on the application via the Flintshire Council website.

The local authority is aiming to make a decision on the proposals by early March.