Plans for 110 homes in Denbigh approved despite environmental fears

Plans to build 110 homes on greenfield land in Denbigh have been given the go-ahead, despite concerns about the impact on the environment.

Denbighshire County Council’s planning committee met on Wednesday to discuss developer Castle Green’s proposals to create 110 properties, including the construction of vehicle access and landscaping.

The plans to develop land next to Ysgol Pendref on Gwaenynog Road followed an earlier application being turned down.

Whilst councillors said they were concerned about the loss of a greenfield site – officers recommended the scheme for approval.

They argued the land was already earmarked for residential development in the council’s local development plan (LDP), adding an agreement had been made for 20% of the homes to be allocated as affordable – with room to increase that figure to up to 80%.

Denbighshire’s legal and planning team said negotiations with the developer were ongoing – although a final agreement had not yet been reached.

But Cllr Huw Hilditch-Roberts asked how councillors could vote in favour of the plans without a legal agreement in place to guarantee the exact number of affordable homes.

He said: “I hear the 20%, (but) how much wriggle room is there for the developer not to deliver on the other number (the higher number of homes) in the future?

“Granting the application today at 20% (of affordable homes), that’s set in stone and can’t be moved; however, the legal agreement is not binding and signed.

“My suggestion would be wouldn’t it be better for the applicant to come to the committee with the full allocation of affordable homes, so we are passing the full legal document in the committee binding the developer?”

But officers warned councillors that according to legislation, the developer was only required to allocate 10% of homes as affordable housing.

Councillors were also told that increasing the amount of affordable housing to up to 80% was subject to a successful social housing grant bid to the Welsh Government, which relied on planning permission being in place.

It was explained that social housing landlord Adra could lose the grants if the application was turned down, leading to fewer affordable homes.

Cllr Hilditch-Roberts also asked what was different about the new plans compared to the previous application.

Officers said there had been changes to the highway arrangements but added the previous proposals also met the council’s policy requirements.

Denbigh Town Council objected to the plans after members said they were concerned about the removal of hedgerows and a claimed lack of infrastructure in the town.

However, 15 councillors on the planning committee voted in favour of the scheme, with two against and one abstention.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter