Building 21 homes in Denbighshire village ‘won’t cause decline in Welsh speakers’ says developer
Richard Evans, local democracy reporter
A developer planning to build 21 homes in a rural Denbighshire village says the development won’t cause a decline in the Welsh language.
Roberts Homes has submitted a planning application for the homes on land adjacent to Paradwys, west of the B5429, in Graigfechan, a village three miles from Ruthin.
The Ruthin-based developer wants to build the homes, which will feature ‘red facing brickwork, buff facing brickwork and part white render’ on the 0.71 hectres of green land.
The land is allocated for 10 houses in Denbighshire’s local development plan, which was adopted in 2013.
Outline planning permission was already granted for nine homes in 2017 with all matters being agreed apart from access; however, the time limit has now elapsed, and the developer has submitted a new application with an increased number of homes.
The latest plans also include vehicle access.
A community linguistic report was also carried out, revealing the number of Welsh speakers in the area was also dropping.
A census of the population revealed 24.6% of the local population could speak Welsh, compared to an average of 19% of the national population. But the census also revealed that 18.7% of Denbighshire’s population could speak, read and write Welsh, but this figure was 20.7% in 2001, indicating a gradual decline.
But a report said the development was unlikely to cause a decline in the use of the Welsh language. The report concluded: “There is no reason why the development might lead to existing Welsh-speaking businesses in the vicinity closing down.
“If anything, the introduction of new people to the area should have a positive impact on supporting all existing businesses in the locality.”
An independent report by SCP, a specialist in transportation, planning and infrastructure, concluded there is no highway or transport-related reason to withhold planning permission for the scheme.
An ecology report also added that there would be no significant impact on protected or notable wildlife species, and Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust said they had no objections to the plans.
The planning application will now go before Denbighshire County Council’s planning committee where it will be debated before a decision is made.
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What next? Will you have to wear a Welsh Not for speaking your own language in your own country because fragile little monoglot snowflakes feel uncomfortable?
What next fallacy is fun eh?
You’re being silly now
Or we could stop building homes in our country for English commuters because they refuse to build on their own green space.
Who said anything about English commuters? You’re reading too much in to my query. You can be Welsh without having the ability to speak your own country’s beautiful mother tongue.
You really think that there’s such a housing shortage in Rhuthun that local families are clamouring to have these houses built? Housebuilding in the eastern half of North Wales is not predicated on local need.
Very short-sighted post, bigoted in fact. If you put your two braincells together to create a spark would realise that if a community that’s largely, say for argument sakes, German speaking, had a developer build loads of houses that locals could not afford which then attracted people with deeper pockets from over the boarder that spoke solely French, what do you think would happen to the fine balance? Would they respect the community now part of and gradually learn German to fit in as a mark of respect? A question. Ever been to Benidorm in Spain to see what happens… Read more »
Perhaps some data are needed here. Does the local council have any data on the housing needs for the area? Is there a shortage of 4 bedroomed executive homes or does the area need two bed ‘starter’ homes or is there no issue in terms of housing demand and supply? In the latter case then the development is not needed. Otherwise, it would make sense for the Develper to work with the Council to try to meet the type of house that the area actually needs. The issue of the Welsh language is, to some extent a separate one. Can… Read more »
It depends on who they are being built for. If they were being built to meet a local, natural growth, need: great. However, many homes are being built over the north of Wales – all for highly over-inflated prices so that local people can’t afford them. How is this fair?
Cywir. There is little or no correlation between local housing need (small) and the amount of new build (large) in the eastern half of the north of Wales.
And the size of them. They always look huge compared to the older houses nearby.
Who wrote the “community linguistic report” and what are their credentials? This is not mentioned
They also don’t explain how they reached the conclusion that the Welsh language in the area will not be affected.