Controversial plans for major housing development on farmland approved

Alec Doyle, local democracy reporter

A controversial planning application for a development of 300 homes on farmland has been approved by councillors.

There were angry scenes and cries of ‘shame’ from the public gallery after Flintshire council’s planning committee voted 6-4 in favour of Castle Green’s plans to build 300 homes – including 105 affordable homes managed by ClwydAlyn Housing – on land between Gladstone Way and Ash Lane on the border between Hawarden and Mancot.

The land in question is included as development land within the current Local Development Plan (LDP).

Local opposition

The plans have been subject to sustained local opposition for a number of years – around 700 formal responses were lodged with the council opposing the scheme – and there was a heated debate within Ty Dewi Sant on Wednesday afternoon.

Flintshire People’s Voice councillor Sam Swash has been one of the leading supporters of the campaign against the development and told the committee the additional pressure on local services would be too great.

“Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board themselves say that it works to a best practice ration of one GP per 2,500 patients.

“The current ratio at the Stables Medical Practice in Hawarden is one GP per 5,143 patients. No-one is claiming that planning can solve deficiencies in healthcare, but it should not make them worse.

“The board goes on to say ‘concerns are shared across practices in the wider north east Flintshire cluster area who anticipate overstretched capacity to cater for new patients.

“That is a clear warning from our own health board. Despite that this council is asking you to ignore your eyes and ears and make an already dire situation worse.

“At every stage the message from our community has been loud, consistent and clear. You must judge this application on its own merits – or lack of them.

“This is not nimbyism. The 2,500 plus people who signed the petition, the many people who have emailed you and who are in this chamber today do not all live next to the site but all have one thing in common. They rely on you to act in their best interests.”

‘Loss of identity’

Local resident and chartered civil engineer David Rowlinson also spoke out against the proposal.

“Our community’s deepest fear is the loss of identity between Hawarden and Mancot. These are distinct villages with their own character.

“Hawarden already merges with Ewloe and Aston. What we are looking at doesn’t even provide the bare minimum – a clear boundary between the settlements.

“We are village communities with gardens for our children to play in, off-road parking and space. Since the LDP stage this design has been pushed beyond the limit squeezing more houses into less space.

“Why? Because the original design wasn’t commercially viable after paying for flood mitigation, drainage upgrades and coal mining remediation.”

Flooding downstream for Mancot, Sandycroft and Pentre was a core focus for the opponents of the scheme at committee.

Flooding

Hawarden Community Council’s representative, Cllr Ant Turton, focused on the risk of flooding: “I have personally helped residents during floods – clearing drains, moving soaked belongings, trying to minimise the damage.

“This is not hypothetical. Some of my residents have been forced out of their homes on more than one occasion.”

Cllr Turton added: “Any decision to allow 300 more homes with a hard surface and drainage downhill is a kick in the teeth for those who have been flooded time and time again.

“Castle Green’s assertion that their design will make the situation no worse is indicative of their attitude to the problems faced by our community.

“We deserve better than not making things worse. My community deserves better. Reject, or at the very least, demand better than this.”

Cllr Turton also accused the contribution of around £1.5m to Hawarden Village and Hawarden High Schools of being ‘woeful’.

“Neither is viable for expansion and what about Sandycroft CP School, ” he said. “Not a single penny is proposed for them.”

Cllr Adele Davies-Cooke cited the land’s rating as 3a and 3b agricultural land – a food-grade of land that the Welsh Government has said should be protected.

“Humans need to eat,” she said. “This isn’t just any parcel of land. It’s among the best most versatile farmland in Wales. You can’t replace it. This will jeopardise local fuel security.

“It deserves preservation, not permanent destruction.”

Committee members Cllr Carol Ellis and Cllr Mike Peers added they too found it difficult to see the justification for such a large development effectively conjoining two villages.

Cllr Chris Bithell however said that the council’s hands were tied.

“We could oppose this and all go home patting ourselves on the back but it would be a pyrrhic victory,” he said.

“In a matter of weeks the applicant would appeal and the matter would be decided by a planning inspector. As the land is allocated for development in the LDP the application would be approved regardless.”