Calls to bring forward planning review to stop shop conversion to small flats as “town centres are suffering”

Calls to bring forward a review of Anglesey’s planning masterplan have been rejected by councillors despite concerns that town centres are suffering.

During Tuesday’s full council meeting, calls were made by opposition benches to bring forward next year’s planned review of the Joint Local Development Plan.

The plan, adopted in 2017, guides most planning policy across Gwynedd and Anglesey, but critics argue that too many former shops are being given planning to be turned into one bedroom flats “resulting in a deterioration of the whole town.”

Cllr Bob Llewellyn Jones, who proposed the motion, acknowledged that while town centres are now being put under tremendous stress as people choose to go online for their shopping, he was looking for legislation to be strengthened, allowing developers to transform them into “decent homes” as opposed to smaller flats.

He added, “One room developments are in danger of becoming the norm in our towns.

“It may lead to looking at a visionary approach to what our present and future role for town centres will be and to build new and innovating buildings in place of our run down Victorian shops as seen in towns all over north Wales.

“Tourism is growing everywhere and we need to tap into it by being an attractive place to visit while making our County a place for all of us to be proud of.

“Do we have the will to take this on as an authority and to take the first step in bringing it into reality or will we continue to muddle on and see our urban environment continue to decline?”

But in response, the planning portfolio holder said that while town centre regeneration was a priority for the authority, the JLDP was already scheduled for review in the July of 2021.

Cllr Richard Dew went on to say that in his view, it was not appropriate to bring forward such a review forward, and that the authority would commit fully to the timeframe.

In response, Cllr Jones added: “We have to grasp this nettle, a lot of money has been spent on Holyhead over the years to make it presentable, but its not worked, there’s been no imagination.
“You have to make shopping an experience and appeal to people, in Holyhead there’s places to plant shrubs but all we have are weeds.

“There’s no way that our council are doing anything, the town council has done very little too, we have all these people from Ireland passing through but it hasn’t worked.”

But Cllr John Arwel Roberts felt that Holyhead faced problems like any other across the country, noting the efforts of the county and town council.

“Millions has been spent but as the JLDP is up for review next year anyway, I can’t support this motion I’m afraid.”

Having failed to gain the necessary support, the JLDP monitoring review will go ahead next July as planned.

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter