Agenda item

            That planning permission be refused for the reasons detailed in the report of the Head of Planning. 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning in respect of this application which had been the subject of a site visit on 10 March 2014.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.  Additional comments received since the preparation of the report were circulated at the meeting. 

                        The officer detailed the background to the report explaining that the main issues to consider included the principle of the development in planning policy terms, the provision of affordable housing and the impact on the openness and visual amenity of the green barrier. 

                        Mr. D. Bryce spoke against the application and explained that he had been a resident in Northop Hall for 20 years.  He referred to the site which was known locally as ‘the Gorsey’ and said that it had been designated as green barrier and was irreplaceable as a countryside play area and a safe path for children to walk to school.  The area was used by the whole village and this was reflected in the 405 letters of objection that had been received.  The Housing Strategy Manager had agreed that there were sufficient affordable housing properties in the area and these were detailed in paragraph 7.23 of the report.  Mr. Bryce asked the Committee to refuse the application in order to retain the area for the community of Northop Hall.

                        Mrs. L. Pierce from Northop Hall Community Council also spoke against the application.  She said that the case had been strongly made in the report to refuse the application and she sought to provide a very local basis as to why the site was so special.  Northop Hall’s access to the countryside had been lost be the construction of the A55, and th community had been under siege by developers for many years.  The Gorsey was precious to the residents of the village and could be accessed from any part of the village.  The footpaths were well used and if the site was built on, the paths would all be lost.  The Community Council was developing a local village plan to feed into the Local Development Plan.  Mrs. Pierce said that the Gorsey was part of the network of open land to the north of the village which was of great importance and suggested that village green status could be applied to the Gorsy.  She urged the Committee to refuse the application.       

            Councillor Carolyn Thomas proposed the recommendation for refusal which was duly seconded. 

            The Local Member, Councillor Tony Sharps, spoke against the application and thanked the Committee for attending the site visit to see the area.  He concurred with everything which had been said by Mr. Bryce.  He said that the area known as the Gorsey was a designated green barrier with public rights of way and informal rights of way and at the public inquiry, the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) Inspector had considered that the site should not be included in the UDP.  If the application was approved it would create additional strain on the local primary school and Hawarden High School, and with an extra 75 vehicles in the area, it would increase the danger for children and other pedestrians.  He considered that there was adequate housing provision in Flintshire by way of outline and full planning permissions.  Councillor Sharps said that the open countryside was enjoyed by many residents and created a buffer from other developments.  He thanked the officer for his work on the report.    

            RESOLVED:

            That planning permission be refused for the reasons detailed in the report of the Head of Planning.