‘Ghetto’ affordable housing scheme approved on appeal

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to build 121 affordable homes in north Wales – which were branded a ‘ghetto’ when they were turned down – have now been granted after an appeal.

Castle Green Homes’ original proposal for 121 houses on Quarry Farm off Leadbrook Drive in Oakenholt was rejected by Flintshire County Council’s Planning Committee  in June last year.

But now that decision has been overturned by inspectors at Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW).

Under the proposal every home on the site would be affordable – with the development being handed over to a Registered Social Landlord – or housing association – once completed.

Councillors on the planning committee felt the density of homes – 41 units per hectare – was too crammed in comparison to its standard guideline of 30 homes per hectare.

Cllr Carol Ellis said the proposals were ‘like a ghetto’, with low income families squeezed together.

Her concerns were shared by fellow committee member Cllr Mike Peers and local member Cllr Mel Buckley as the committee rejected the plans.

Just last month a fresh application for the site with 109 homes proposed, also by Castle Green, was approved.

Now the original application been granted too – leaving the developer with a choice over which scheme to implement.

Castle Green says it will consider both approved plans with its proposed partner housing association for the scheme, North Wales Housing, before it decides which one to take forward.

“There’s an acute need for affordable housing across Flintshire with over 2,000 households on the council’s waiting list,” said Stuart Andrew, pre-construction director at Castle Green Homes.

“This includes hundreds of people in Flint and the surrounding area. We want to help address that need by delivering high-quality affordable homes through our new development in Oakenholt.

“Following the refusal of our original planning application for 121 homes, we both appealed that decision and submitted revised plans for 109 homes. As affordable housing is a priority for the Welsh Government, that appeal was heard more quickly than would normally be expected and both schemes received approval within a fortnight of each other.

“The decision made by PEDW in respect of this appeal validates the original position taken by both ourselves and the council’s planning officers that our original application was entirely reasonable and appropriate in terms of its siting, layout, scale, height, density and landscaping.

“The subsequent refusal of our application for 121 homes was considered by PEDW’s Inspector to not be justified, and the appeal decision states the original proposal ‘would respond effectively to the established character and context of the area’ and ‘would appear as a sensitive infilling of the existing gap between Croes Atti and Leadbrook Drive and a logical extension to the existing settlement’.

“We’re now assessing both options and continuing discussions with North Wales Housing regarding delivery of the homes with Welsh Government support.”

Reacting to the news Cllr Ellis said: “It’s disappointing, however I sincerely hope they stick to the most recent permission granted.”

Cllr Buckley was similarly unhappy with the decision.

Cllr Peers said: “I am disappointed for the residents who would live here with this large density with little green space in their immediate vicinity and lack of front gardens, impacting on their amenity.

“I am also disappointed that this sends the wrong message – that at least for 100% affordable schemes it seems the guidance for 30 dwellings to the hectare in the Local Development plan has now been superseded by 41 dwellings to the hectare. It looks like the Inspector has set a precedent.

“Castle Green Homes recognised the shortcoming with this scheme for 121 dwellings and put forward a more acceptable proposal 109 dwellings which was approved by the planning committee on 15th July.

“I sincerely hope that Castle Green Homes thinks about the future residents at Oakenholt, abandons the plans for 121 homes on this site and goes with the subsequent permission for 109 dwellings already granted.”

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