Plans to demolish hotel in Northop Hall look set to be rejected

Plans to demolish an old hotel in Flintshire to make way for houses look set to be refused after attracting more than 170 objections. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Two companies launched a bid to knock down Plas Ifan Hotel in Northop Hall in August to create 24 new homes in its place. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Bod Hotels and CC Land Ltd said they wanted to build a mixture of three and four-bedroom properties, which they claimed would meet local demand. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, residents reacted angrily and said the extra growth would cause the village to lose its identity and put pressure on local services. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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A senior official from Flintshire Council has now recommended the scheme should be refused as he said it would harm the surrounding countryside. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a report set to go before councillors next week, chief planning officer Andrew Farrow said: “It is considered that there is insufficient evidence to identify the need to bring forward this speculative site outside the settlement boundary of Northop Hall. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Northop Hall given its present size has limited local services, and whilst there is a strong argument that further development would help support the future of these facilities and businesses, the range of services available are unlikely to sustain further growth. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Furthermore, it has only limited access to local bus services. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Notwithstanding the harm to the open countryside, the growth and the precedent for further unjustified residential development and the reliance on the private car this proposal would create is considered to amount to unsustainable development. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It would result in the loss of an area of open undeveloped land and its replacement with built development and associated human activity.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The companies behind the plans originally wanted to build up to 50 houses, but the number was cut in half because of concerns raised by the public and council. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

They said their application should be looked on favourably because the area had already been developed. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The local authority’s planning committee will meet to decide on the proposals on Wednesday, November 6. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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