Latest news - Redrow have submitted revised plans to Flintshire planning. The layout has changed, the number of houses reduced from 190 to 186 and the number of affordable homes increased from 19 to 27 - we understand that Flintshire had requested 56. There is revised open space layout and the site has been turned.
This is where the 'fight' is up to:
1. Principle
Flintshire have not yet agreed that the application will be recommended for approval on principle. This is a big one for us - we believe that it causes harm for our village for lots of reasons and we would like Flintshire to support the voice of the community by recommending refusal. There is a loophole in planning policy which is why the application is possible outside our settlement boundary. As a group are lobbying hard to Welsh Government and Flintshire County Council and we are hoping for a review and our County Councillors, Cindy Hinds and David Williams are lobbying behind the scenes at County Hall too. We met with Carl Sargeant AM last week and he is lobbying at Cardiff on our behalf too.
2. Noise
At the public meetings we talked about at the public meetings was 'noise' - writing / calling / emailing anyone involved - the planning department, the planning committee, our MP, our AM, the Welsh minister responsible, the First Minister, Welsh Water, BT Openreach, Dee Valley Water - anyone you believe who, when asked about Pen-y-ffordd knows exactly how we feel. We have gone quiet, it has been a long time since the application went in, but it is back now and we need to be heard more than ever. Please look at the contact list and keep letting them know how you feel.
The revised layout
3. Planning Committee
We understand that the application will go before the planning committee at County Hall, Mold on the 22nd March (1:00pm). Please try and be available on that date. A recent application in Drury was turned down and there were a large number of residents in the public gallery at committee!
3. Policy
The other thing we talked a lot about objecting on planning grounds - where the application breaches planning policy - Planning Policy Wales and the Flintshire Unitary Development Plan. The 400+ objections sent in so far do that well (it's not too late to object - just write to alan.wells@flintshire.gov.uk) and we continue to argue the case.
4. Sustainability
This is the big one. If we lose the battle on the principle of development and the battle on the TAN1 policy, then the decision comes down to this - is the development 'sustainable'? We firmly believe that the evidence presented from the Questionnaire results (you can read our submission here) prove that it would not be sustainable for our village - even at the revised number of 186 houses.
5. The Village Plan
The final part of the fight is the preparation of our Community Development Plan - this is a document which sets out how the village should develop over the next 15 years - this is what we did the questionnaire for and we are using all of the feedback to write the plan - it's a big job and it's taking time - in the next few weeks we will be inviting everyone to comment on the overall plan before we share it with Flintshire and beyond. The aim with the plan is to present a combined voice of the community for consideration by the Planning Department receive applications.
Thank you for your continued support.