Plans to build 25 affordable homes on Mancot green belt recommended for refusal due flood risk concerns

Plans to build 25 affordable homes on land in Mancot look set to be rejected due to concerns over the risk of flooding and erosion of green belt land. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Wales and West Housing lodged plans to develop an overgrown area of land in the village last October. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The firm said the development – on land adjacent to 150 Mancot Lane – would deliver a mix of affordable housing types; including wheelchair accessible one-bed bungalows, to two, three, and four-bedroom homes. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The scheme would also deliver “significant levels of public open space and formal play area for the wider community with new pedestrian links and landscaping.” Wales and West representatives J10 Planning said in documents submitted with the application. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A senior official at Flintshire Council has recommended to councillors that permission for the scheme should be refused ahead of a meeting next week. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Chief planning officer Andrew Farrow said: The development would harm the openness of an existing green barrier. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a report, he said: “The proposal represents inappropriate development that will harm the openness of an existing green barrier and an open countryside
location.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Wales and West said the development would deliver “much-needed new affordable homes in Mancot; the like of which has not been provided for in the area this site will allow local people to stay within their community.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In his report, Mr Farrow said: “The affordable nature of the scheme is not a very exceptional circumstance which is considered to the outweigh the harm to the designated Green Barrier by its erosion of the narrow area of countryside and contribution to coalescence that this proposal would represent.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He also said: “There are significant flood risk concerns on the site and it has not been demonstrated that the application adequately addresses the points raised by Natural Resources Wales in order to be compliant.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Therefore I recommend that the proposal is refused for the reasons given.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The application will be considered by members of the council’s planning committee at a meeting on Wednesday. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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