In Flintshire’s LDP they are hoping to build some 7,000 + new houses between 2020 and 2030 to accommodate growth, my question is where do they plan to build these homes, and why?
The examination of a blueprint for about 7,000 new homes from external inspectors in Flintshire is set to be placed on hold amid “significant concerns” over a key housing site outlined at Warren Hall due to Big Business primarily (AIRBUS) raising such concerns, my question is why does FCC not listen to its constituents the same way it does Big Business as they are the ones most affected by these issues on other developments locally.
Inspectors have been running the rule over Flintshire Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP), which sets out locations where development could take place in the county over the next decade between the planned 2020 to 2030.
Many concerns have been raised that we are running the risk of overdevelopment in the south-east and north-east of Wales while there is a shortage of development and depopulation in the west.
Many educated professionals and communities have raised these same concerns that health, education, community facilities and public transport need to grow at the same time as housing developments, but this seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
My question is, could empty properties hold the key to easing the demand for sustainable and affordable housing, at a time when the need far outstrips supply in many areas across Wales?
There are around 27,000 long-term empty private properties in Wales, according to recent estimates (Welsh Government 2022), and around 1,400 long-term empty properties in the social housing sector.
Neglected buildings often attract anti-social behaviour, and poor upkeep can cause damage, such as dampness, to adjoining properties, as well as stalling local house prices which, in turn, contribute to the general decline of an area.
The reasons why properties remain empty for long periods are numerous and complex.
Some owners may lack the time, money, or motivation to renovate a building.
This might be attributed to a shortage of skills, contractors, or supply chains to construct and renovate these properties.
In other cases, properties may be inherited, and the new owners live far away. If it’s a commercial property, owners may choose not to sell or let out the living space above. And sometimes, it is simply not possible to trace the legal owners.
Why can’t the council set up a task force within the planning and social housing departments to look at some of the derelict and abandoned houses throughout the area and look at reskilling individuals to renovate them back into use, to help people back onto the property ladder and back into use?
Whilst supporting reskilling some of those in the local area who are,
• Young and looking for a new career or pathway to get on the property ladder.
• Homeless and in need of support and hope and a roof over their head
• On benefits to support getting them back to work
• Transitioning out of the forces or to our region
• To support those new to the area to integrate.
This, in turn, will also uplift some of the run-down areas of the region, and help promote growth and sustainability, and much-needed building skills to sustain our growing communities.
A selection of Housing approvals are below from 2020 to date in Flintshire and the numbers will astound you.
Approved sites around Flintshire.
• Deeside: Around 200 new homes planned for Northern Gateway | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk) – 200 homes -21st March 2024
• Controversial Buckley housing development approved amid angry planning meeting scenes | Deeside.com – 140 homes – 15th March 2024
• Planning: 70 new homes near Flintshire-Wrexham border set for approval | Deeside.com – 70 homes – 8th March 2024
• New housing development proposed for Buckley | Deeside.com – 9 homes – 27th Dec 2023
• Northern Gateway, Deeside: Work to re-start on 100 new homes | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk) – 100 homes – 27th November 2023
• https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/23933164.flintshire-plans-90-homes-new-brighton-backed-approval/ – 90 homes – 19th November 2023
• Housing plans for a derelict garden centre on Flintshire / Wrexham border given go ahead | Deeside.com – 30 new homes – 26th October 2023
• Housing developer launches public consultation on plans to build 70 new homes in Ewloe | Deeside.com 70 new homes – 12th October 2023
• Plans for 21 home affordable housing development in a Flintshire village look set for the nod | Deeside.com – 21 homes 23rd Aug 2023
• Flintshire approves 259 homes – Place North West – 259 homes – 22nd June 2023
• Plans to build 141 housing estate in Connah’s Quay look set to be given green light | Deeside.com – 141 homes – 15th June 2023
• https://www.deeside.com/flint-housing-development-plans-resubmitted-after-planning-inspectorate-dismissal/ – 18 homes – 26th May 2023
• https://www.deeside.com/flint-housing-development-plans-resubmitted-after-planning-inspectorate-dismissal/ – 130 homes – 22nd October 2022
• Flint in line for 200 new homes but residents worry about strain on schools, GPs and roads – North Wales Live (dailypost.co.uk) – 200 homes – 4th October 2022
• Detailed plans for almost 370 homes in Deeside backed for approval | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk) – 370 homes – 10th December 2021
• Caergwrle housing plans approved despite road safety concerns | Deeside.com – 7 homes – 24th Nov 2021
• Affordable housing plans for Mynydd Isa receive green light as councillors say it will meet local need | Deeside.com – 56 homes – 3rd dec 2020.
• Affordable housing development in Mostyn receives green light despite objections | Deeside.com – 30 new homes – 20th oct 2020.
• Detailed plans for 129 new homes in Garden City receive approval | Deeside.com – 120 homes – 4th March 2020
• Work has begun on Duttons Fields – the new 283 housing development on former RAF Sealand site | Deeside.com – 283 homes – 7th October 2019
• Northern Gateway, North Wales | Spawforths – planning secured on 770 of 1300 homes – 20th April 2019
• Edwards Homes – Connah’s Quay – 104 houses – 23rd Feb 2024
• Miscellaneous Planning from the Flintshire Planning portal from 1 house down to 30 houses between 2020 – March 2024 – 319 homes – Planning decisions & Committee (flintshire.gov.uk)
A total number of houses approved in 3 years is 3,737 in a small area of FLINTSHIRE.
Pending Planning Authority
• https://www.deeside.com/castle-green-homes-unveils-315-home-development-plan-for-ewloe/?fbclid=IwAR1nnwzd1KJ5wvazyFkfQF73wAedYEaWgYFauBUuTrx-NN_sFDg2K1OKt-8 – 315 homes – 24th March 2024
• https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/24200830.buckley-hearing-decide-plans-almost-100-new-homes/ – 21st March 2024 – 100 homes
• https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/24197376.hawarden-plans-submitted-300-home-ash-lane-development/ – 20th March 2024 – 300 homes.
• Flintshire Planning: Nine new houses proposed for the site of closed village pub | Deeside.com – 11th March 2024 – 12 Homes
• Housing association reveals plans to build up to 200 new homes in Buckley | Deeside.com – 18th Dec 2020 – 200 homes.
• Plans for up to 150 new homes in Buckley will help to plug the shortage of affordable housing, says social landlord | Deeside.com – 24th Aug 2020 – 150 homes.
• Petition launched in bid to stop potential large-scale housing development on Mancot greenbelt | Deeside.com 280 homes – 15th October 2019
1357 Pending planning permission which equates to 14% of LDP.
So Approved and Pending approval comes in at 5094 homes 2/3rds of the way to the 7000 LDP plans for the 10 years
Yet Care home sites / Social housing. Only totals 316 rooms or provisions for an aging or in need population – 4% of the LDP below
https://www.deeside.com/plans-submitted-for-66-bedroom-care-home-development-in-deeside/ – 66 bedroom – 3rd December 2023
https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/flintshire-approves-16m-care-home/ – 56-bedroom facility costing £16 million pounds – 23rd April 2023
chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://cyfarfodyddpwyllgor.siryfflint.gov.uk/documents/s73716/064397%20-%20Full%20application%20-%20Redevelopment%20of%20former%20Care%20Home%20site%20to%20deliver%20new%20specialised%20suppor.pdf?LLL=1 – 30 bedroom – Hawarden – 22nd December 2022
https://www.gov.wales/23m-combined-investment-two-new-social-care-facilities-flintshire – 62 bed – plus relocate mental health services from Shotton to Mold – 22nd jan 2024.
https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/24105651.buckley-care-facility-plans-approved-despite-concerns/ – 90 beds plus 12 separate bungalows – 8th Feb 2024
What is more startling is up to 2022, these same planning applications were being refused due to flooding and other mitigating reasons.
My question is what has changed? As the risk for the refusal in the first place certainly hasn’t!
Planning permissions refused pre 2022
• Appeal against refusal of Sandycroft housing plans dismissed over flood risk concerns | Deeside.com – 20th July 2022
• Appeal over the refusal of Flint housing plans dismissed over the impact on bats | Deeside.com – 27th June 2022
• Appeal over housing plans for former Shotton medical centre site dismissed due to flooding concerns | Deeside.com – 31st May 2022
• Refusal of Penyffordd housing plans upheld amid school capacity concerns | Deeside.com – 19th April 2022
• Housing company loses appeal over plans for almost 100 new homes in Flintshire | Deeside.com – 11th April 2022
• Appeal launched after housing plans refused next to groundworks company in Sandycroft | Deeside.com – 8th April 2022
• Appeal launched over the refusal of the affordable housing scheme in Mancot | Deeside.com – 21st Feb 2022
• Inspectors call for removal of Warren Hall housing site from development plan | Deeside.com – 3rd Nov 2021
• Gwernymynydd housing plans rejected amid road safety concerns | Deeside.com -29th Oct 2021.
• Developers scale back housing plans for Flintshire hotel site after being knocked back by inspector | Deeside.com – 16th June 2021
• Housing firm loses appeal over plans to build 18 homes next to Flint care home | Deeside.com – 15th June 2021
• Housing company launches appeal after controversial plans to build almost 100 new homes in Flintshire refused | Deeside.com – 11th June 2021
• Plans for affordable housing scheme in Mancot rejected over loss of green space and flood risk concerns | Deeside.com – 27th May 2021.
• Tourism development plans at Northop Country Park thrown out after being compared to housing estate | Deeside.com – 30th September 2020
So, we are 4 1/3 years through the 10-year strategy and have more than half the questionable quota approved for the area, destroying floodplains and greenbelt land supposedly set aside for the Flintshires Biodiversity Strategy.
Serious questions need to be asked: –
1. Why do we suddenly need thousands of more houses?
2. and who are they for?
a. Social Housing
b. Supporting young people to get on the ladder.
c. Family homes
d. HMO’s
3. What benefit and growth will these people add to the local region?
4. Where is the infrastructure to support the uplift in houses?
a. Schools
i. Primary
ii. Secondary
iii. High school
iv. College
v. University
vi. Apprenticeships
b. Healthcare
i. Hospitals
ii. Doctors
iii. Dentist
iv. Vets
c. Social Care
d. Education
e. Transportation Infrastructure
i. Busses
ii. Rail
iii. Roads
iv. Pathways
v. Cycleways
f. Utility infrastructure
i. Power grid and electricity
ii. Sewerage, rainwater
iii. Refuse services and Landfills.
Both the UK, Welsh and Local Government’s agenda are destroying all that is great about Wales and Britain, and at the same time desecrating the green, green grass of home synonymous with Wales.
Prime Agricultural Land is sold to the highest bidder for short-term gain, rather than looking at the bigger picture and the sustainability of the region to help grow grain and food or help graze livestock to help combat the cost-of-living crisis.
These governments spend the people’s money and time on Biodiversity and Vanity Net Zero initiatives, but cause flooding from the ACTIONS of humans removing trees and greenspaces by building on fields that have soaked away water for hundreds of years to build houses.
Concerns have been raised by communities and relevant bodies on several occasions over the developer’s assessment of the flood risk on many of these sites, which the planners claimed showed no knowledge of the historical issues the sites have faced.
Ignoring the evidence at this stage could have dire consequences in the future, both for new and existing residents in the area.
“This sudden uplift in housing without the foundational economy being supported to include, infrastructure around, Health, Education and Transport, clearly outline why these sites are not suitable for development to any common person. ”
Flooding issues have plagued the area in the past, and building on this land will only worsen the situation for other residents nearby – so gaining funding to alleviate the past risk is a sticky plaster approach.
Worryingly, the assessment that the developers have had done of the flood risk appears to show no knowledge of the historical issues these sites have faced.”
Now you explain the #COMMON #SENSE in this.
We need to make a stand now before we do not have a future left to save to pass on to future generations and our children.
People need to ask questions, and at the next election, vote with your heart and for what feels right not just because it feels easy.
