It's just about a year since we started this website to share updates about the Community and our Community Place Plan. It has been an eventful year with a lot going on in the village. These are 5 things we have learned...

1. Penyffordd is a great place to live
The more you get to know the people, the businesses, groups, organisations, enthusiasts, teams and the place, the more you realise how lucky we are to live here!

2. The People of Penyffordd are very interested in what's is happening
In the past year there have been over 14,000 pages viewed on this website. Hundreds of people attending each of the Village Meetings at the Legion. Over 500 people took the time to write to object to planning applications; 800 people completed the village questionnaire. So far hundreds of people have signed the petition to have our Village 'Place' Plan adopted - if you haven't signed it, please do it now:

3. Our efforts pay off
Among the issues that have come up in the past year have been:
- improving the noticeboards - a new once has been erected on Wellhouse Drive and all three (Jemoleys, Dobshill and Wellhouse Drive) are being updated regularly.
- Position of the Community Transport Bus Stops. Residents, Community Group and local councillors combined to challenge the council on the siting of the bus stops and getting them changed.
- Council Houses on Westview. There was a plan to build council houses on the and behind West View at the top of the village - that was quickly challenged and the site withdrawn.
- The proposed battery farm close to the station was withdrawn after pressure from the community
- Our pressure contributed to a policy clarification from the Welsh Minister which has meant 17 houses in Northop and 56 houses in Rhosrobin being refused permission. We believe these would both have gone through without the clarification.
- Our Community Place Plan has been written and now adopted by our own Community Council, we just need Flintshire County Council to do the same.

4. The Housing Battles Continue
We have seen off one application for housing on Bank Farm - that has been withdrawn
We won a unanimous refusal from the planning committee on Redrow. We just have the appeal to fight now.
We are waiting news on the Rhos Road applications - 40 have outline permission and 32 have been through pre-consultation.
The Hawarden Road application decision (to recommend approval) is being challenged by our own councillors.

5. There are big things happening
There is the new school - consultation ends on the 7th August.
Expansion plans at Hanson Cement - due to go into planning soon.
What happens to the old school site to be determined.
Plans for the extension and upgrading of the Memorial Institute.
Flintshire will publish the next part of their Local Development Plan in September, which will include sites in the village which they believe meet their 'spatial' strategy and an update on Warren Hall.

Thank you!
So after a year in which the community has drawn together and protested vocally and persuasively to make our village a better place, we just need to say thank you to everyone who has been involved so far - visited the website, commented on Facebook, completed a questionnaire, attended the village meetings, signed the petition, posted leaflets, put up posters, attending planning committee or stood with a placard - thank you all.