Housing plans scaled back after Welsh language concerns

Dale Spridgeon, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for a new housing estate which sparked concerns over its potential impact on the Welsh language have been scaled back.

The proposed development at Chwilog, Gwynedd, has been reduced from 25 to 20 affordable homes and will go before Cyngor Gwynedd’s planning committee on Monday, September 7.

Planning officers are recommending approval of the amended scheme, subject to an agreement securing an education contribution and play equipment.

An earlier proposal for 25 homes on land adjoining Brynhyfryd/Cae Capel prompted concerns over its potential impact on the “character and language balance” of the village, where around 80% of residents speak Welsh.

The plans, submitted by Williams Homes Bala Ltd and Grŵp Cynefin, also prompted a 160-signature petition.

Supporters, however, argued the development would provide “much needed” affordable homes for local people and help address the county’s housing crisis.

The scheme describes a full planning application to erect the 20 affordable homes on a 0.65ha site, and described a vehicular access from the B4354, together with associated works at land adjoining Brynhyfryd/Cae Capel.

It stated “the site has now been revised so that it is located entirely within a site specifically designated for building houses within the development boundary of Chwilog, a village defined as a Service Village within the Gwynedd and Anglesey Joint Local Development Plan (Site T64).

“The number of dwellings proposed has been reduced from 25 to 20 to enable this. “For clarity plots number 16-19 (two, three bed houses, one, two bed house and one, two bed bungalow) from the original scheme have been deleted, and plots 24-25 have been changes from two one bed flats to one two bed dwelling.

“The proposal therefore does not provide units outside the development boundary or the housing designation by now. “The proposal involves erecting the dwellings and providing a new access from the B4354 class two public road, creating an internal estate road together with footpaths, creating parking spaces, creating a public open space, erecting boundary walls and fencing and associated drainage works.”

Grazing land

Specifically, the proposal now includes four, one bedroom flats, nine, two-bedroom houses, six, three-bedroom houses, and one, two-bedroom bungalow.

The application area is currently used as agricultural grazing land and is located within the development boundary of Chwilog in an area specifically designated for building houses.

At the meeting, the recommendation sought is for committee members to approve the application – subject to the completion of a 106 agreement or a unilateral agreement for an educational contribution and play equipment in open spaces.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.