Housing plans approved for historic inn

Alec Doyle, local democracy reporter

Plans to convert an historic inn on the pilgrimage trail to St Winefride’s Well into apartments have been approved.

The Talacre Arms in Holywell – a 19th century former pub that is supposedly haunted – will now be converted into four two-bedroom apartments, with the iconic exterior sympathetically restored.

The inn has fallen into disrepair and needs significant work, but two previous plans to demolish the building were rejected as – despite not being a listed building – it is within the Holywell conservation area and is a significant historic landmark.

Flintshire County Council’s Planning Committee agreed to allow the construction of five two-bedroom houses on the land around the Talacre Arms and the creation of 17 car parking spaces for residents.

Complementary style

According to the agents for applicant Steve Sumner, the houses will be built in a complementary style to the traditional workers homes found in the Greenfield Valley.

The committee added a condition that the Talacre Arms must retain its name and historic window style.

The plans were opposed in person by local resident and actor Thomas Casson, who said that to develop the site would spoil the visitor experience for tourists and increase traffic problems in the area.

“My family have lived on the street since 1957, nobody knows more about this road than our family,” he said. “We fully support the renovations to the Talacre Arms but we object to the five houses because we believe it is too big for the site that it’s on.

“We see coaches visiting the Holy Shrine of St Winefride’s Well most Sundays from Malaysia, Ireland, Poland and they’re taking pictures as they walk down to the shrine.

“The Well Hill doesn’t just represent the well, it doesn’t just represent Holywell, it doesn’t just represent Flintshire, it represents Wales. They’re going to get off a bus and see 17 cars parked at any given time. So thank God St Winefride’s Well is beautiful.

“It’s a busy road. The Sandham Groundworks lorries come down it, it’s used by the Arriva buses, trucks come off the A55 to bypass congestion and rejoin the A55 once they get past Mostyn and Prestatyn.

“If this gets through it’s going to get a lot harder to join that road.”

Badger setts

Mr Casson also raised concerns about badger setts in the area and supported concerns submitted late by St Winefride’s Catholic Primary School which stated that there were concerns over the proximity of the development to the school site.

These concerns were allayed by officers in their reports, as were ecological concerns and concerns over the impact of the development on the Grade II listed statue of Jesus Christ which neighbours the site.

Senior planning officer Claire Morter also explained to councillors that the housing element of the application was critical to the proposals as it would help to fund the renovation of the Talacre Arms as the committee approved the plans.