Posted: Mon 7th Oct 2019

Updated: Wed 26th Feb

Homes plan back before planning after refusal

North Wales news and information
This article is old - Published: Monday, Oct 7th, 2019

A 133-home housing estate that was refused planning permission last month will come back before councillors for another decision this week.
The plans would see the homes built on land at Mindale Farm in Meliden near Prestatyn.
Applicant Penrhyn Homes was refused permission for a similar development in  2017 and revised plans went to Denbighshire’s planning committee in September.
At that meeting councillors on the committee voted by 12 votes to three against granting permissions.
Local objectors, including from Prestatyn town council, raised fears local roads and infrastructure would be unable to cope with the size of the development.
But fears have been also been raised that the council could take a big financial hit if it lost the case on appeal and had to pay legal costs.
So the council’s cabinet member with responsibility for housing referred the matter to officers who have asked the committee to re-consider its decision.
It will be discussed at the planning committee meeting on Wednesday in Ruthin.
A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: “The application will be brought back to the planning committee under the terms of our adopted planning scheme of delegation. Cllr Tony Thomas raised concerns about the decision and contacted the monitoring officer. The head of planning and public protection can, in consultation with the monitoring officer, refer planning application decisions back to the planning committee where the decision gives rise to a significant risk of costs being awarded against the council at any subsequent planning appeal or other legal challenge.
“The referral gives members of the planning committee the opportunity to review their decision and the reasons for it. They can make the same decision, but will have had any financial or other risks explained to them. This is a standard procedure used by the planning committee to ensure robust decisions are made.”
But the move has been attacked by Prestatyn North county councillor, Paul Penlington.
He said: “It is quite shameful really that a councillor from Rhyl has chosen to attempt to subvert a democratic decision. This is a highly inappropriate development, Cllr Thomas should respect the wishes of residents and the result of the vote already taken.”
A spokesman for Penrhyn Homes said: “It is being put back in due to the councils head of service and monitoring officer calling it back in as the refusal reasons are not likely to win at appeal and they will lose a large amount on costs.”

By Shane Brennan – Local Democracy Reporter



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