Plans for Seven Homes and Part Demolition Deferred as Councillors Request Site Visit

PLANS for seven homes and the part demolition of an existing building in Flintshire have been deferred to allow councillors to visit the site.
A full application for the part demolition of an “existing dwelling and residential development comprising of 7 detached dwellings” along with associated roads and drainage works at “Foxfield”, Fagl Lane in Hope, was put to the Planning Committee on Wednesday, November 22.
The Committee was recommended to grant the application, which was submitted by Gower Homes Ltd.
However, a report into the application recommended that it be granted subject to the applicant entering into a Section 106 Obligation to provide the following: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Primary School Contributions- Contribution required would be £12,257.00 towards improvements to Ysgol Estyn
Secondary School Contributions- Contribution required would be £18,469 towards improvements to Castell Alun High School
Public Open Space Contributions- £1,100 per unit towards the Willow Play Area ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

.A similar planning application was refused in 2022 as the plans had not “demonstrated that the proposed development would not lead to an increase in phosphate levels in the River Dee and Bala Lake Special Area of Conservation (‘the SAC’)”. However, the committee heard that this issue has been rectified.
The report concluded that it was an “acceptable windfall development within the settlement boundary of a sustainable settlement.”
It added: “There are no unacceptable impacts upon local amenity, ecology, or as a result of highways or drainage issues, as in the previous consideration of this application. The phosphates issue, which was the only previous impediment to issuing a positive decision in relation to this scheme has now been overcome.”
Councillors did hear from a resident against the plans, which included disruption to a nearby cemetery, concerns over a proposed pumping system, and that there is another nearby development with homes for sale.
Hope Community Council “strongly” objected to the plans. In the report it was summarised as follows: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Backland Development
Overdevelopment of site
Out of keeping with locality and pattern of development
Loss of privacy and noise disturbance
Flood risk
Ecology
Highways and Pedestrian safety
Impact upon schools and medical practices
Impact upon wastewater and sewerage systems ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Gladys Healey (Labour) for Hope whose ward the plan sits in felt that a site visit was necessary. She had intended to call for a site visit before the Planning Committee took place however some confusion in the process meant the visit did not go ahead, and the application was taken straight to committee instead.
Cllr Bernie Atteridge (Ind)for Connah’s Quay Central said “it is the right of an elected member” to get site visits, so he moved a deferral.
Chair Cllr Richard Lloyd (Labour) said he would’ve granted the site visit had he been aware that’s what was wanted.
He said that “under the circumstances” of Cllr Healy thinking there would be a site visit, he agreed with a deferral, and councillors voted in favour for it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​