Councillor brands affordable homes scheme ‘ghetto’

Alec Doyle – Local democracy reporter

Plans for new affordable homes have been refused after one councillor likened them to a ‘ghetto’.

Castle Green Homes’ application to build 121 affordable houses on Quarry Farm in Oakenholt – adjacent to the scheduled ancient Roman monument in Croes Atti – have been rejected by Flintshire County Council’s Planning Committee.

The site is not included in the authority’s Local Development Plan – which earmarks land suitable for development – but permission could have been granted under an exemption for developments that consist of 100% affordable homes.

But councillors expressed shock when confronted with the density of properties proposed for the development.

‘Squashed’

The benchmark for density of homes in a development is 30 units per hectare, but the plans proposed 43 units per hectare.

“I think 43 properties per hectare means homes are all squashed in,” said Buckley Mountain councillor and leader of the True Independents group Cllr Carol Ellis.

“I’m all for affordable housing but I like to see affordable housing mixed with general housing. To me – and apologies if I offend anyone – that looks like a ghetto. I don’t like to think of people squashed in. There’s no space around those properties.

“It’s not right. People deserve to live in a property with some space around them.”

Her concerns were shared by Buckley Bistre Cllr Mike Peers.

“It’s well in excess of 30 homes per hectare but the report says it’s OK because this is affordable housing. That’s wrong. It says we can overdevelop because it is affordable housing. It’s wrong. I’m not content with shoehorning houses in there.”

Refusal

Flint Town Council also urged the committee to refuse.

“We have given careful and lengthy consideration to the planning application and had firmly resolved to formally reject the proposal.

While we support the delivery of affordable housing, we believe this does not adequately meet local needs. The proposed site lies outside the settlement boundary and although it is classed as an exception site the scheme fails to provide a sufficient range of housing types to fully reflect identified local demand.

The proposed development is dense at over 43 dwellings per hectare and the accessibility of key amenities including shops and healthcare raises concerns given the site’s edge of settlement location.”

And local member Cllr Mel Buckley added: “I object to the proposed development.

“I do recognise the need for more affordable housing and am fully aware of the housing crisis that is affecting people across the country. We all want to see people housed in safe secure houses. This must be done in the right places.

“The application is speculative and not identified with any local need. There are sites already allocated for housing which should be brought forward before any consideration is given to development of unallocated land.

“There are very real concerns from the community. This development would increase pressure on roads, schools and health services. We often see the A548 gridlocked which blocks Flint off.

“We do need more homes and more affordable homes but not at the expense of proper planning and not by undermining the frameworks we have in place to ensure sustainable, community-led growth.”

The proposal was rejected on the basis of overdevelopment and the impact of living conditions on future residents.