Council approves Flint station improvements

Rory Sheehan, local democracy reporter

Improvements to Flint Station have been approved by Flintshire Council after Transport for Wales was granted listed building consent for refurbishment of the station facilities.

The work includes repainting, rebranding and general refurbishment while enhancing passenger services such as customer information screens, help points and lighting.

As the station is Grade II listed, a Heritage Impact Assessment was undertaken and submitted as part of the application from the transport body.

It said: “Transport for Wales have identified an opportunity to invest in a scheme of refurbishment, re-use of the Platform 1 building, along with a wider scheme of station improvements.

“The Platform 1 building is in a poor state of repair and significant interventions are required to re-use the building and safeguard its future.

“The buildings have not been occupied for a significant period, and in their current layout are considered inappropriate for re-use and a strategy for refurbishment and re-occupation is proposed as part of this listed building consent application.”

Manchester Piccadilly

Flint Station currently provides services to two main routes, both of which are run hourly, including Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno and Birmingham international to Cardiff Central. There are also certain services between Holyhead/Bangor and London Euston.

The statement adds: “The station building is a late classical building, with symmetrical design of two storeys. Flint station was listed as the first of Francis Thomson’s 1840s Station Buildings out of Chester retaining most of its original character, along with its group value with the engine shed.

“He was contracted by the Chester & Holyhead Railway to work alongside the renowned engineer Robert Stephenson. The pair had previously collaborated on the North Midland Railway.

“Flint station building, like stations in Penmaenmawr and Bangor, includes the Italianate features which were fashionable in architecture of the early Victorian period. The station opened on May 1, 1848, the day services began on the Chester to Bangor line.

“Evidence would suggest the Platform 1 buildings were built between 1882 and 1899, likely the same time the western footbridge was constructed.”

CCTV

According to the planning documents the CCTV system at the station is considered to be at the end of its life and in need of replacement to increase both quality and coverage.

The benches on the platforms, despite being modern replacements, are beyond their serviceable life and more suitable benching will be provided. The scheme includes a rationalisation of all existing signage, and the installation of new customer information screens to replace the existing ones. Lighting will also be replaced in certain areas.

A full internal refit is proposed to all four rooms within the Platform 1 building. The waiting room will be relocated to the southeast room, and the remaining three rooms will be fitted out to include two rail/community rooms, a mess room and toilets.

The planning statement adds: “It has been identified that there is a requirement to improve the cycling provision at the station to encourage sustainable method of transport to and from the station. We therefore propose to install a new cycle storage shelter to the north of Platform 1.

“A total of 14 new CCTV cameras are proposed at the station, and these are in a mix of existing and new locations.”

The plans have been approved by the council via a delegated decision signed off by chief planning officer Andrew Farrow.

An officer’s report attached with the decision notice says: “Significant internal/external improvements to the initially submitted conversion scheme have been secured and welcomed by the Council’s Built Heritage Officer, recognising the Grade II Listed Status of Flint Railway Station.”