PLANS for controversial new homes are being strongly objected by local residents who say the whole idea is a ‘nightmare’.

Proposed plans for 150 homes at Highmere Drive have been put forward as part of the Flintshire Local Development Plan.

The full planning application is yet to be put forward, but residents have formed a committee group to express their concerns as the urge the development to go no further.

Sean Cole said: “We’ve had a lot of developments around Connah’s Quay but planning departments aren’t treating it as a whole.

“They keep putting small bits of housing here, there and everywhere but aren’t thinking about the wider infrastructure picture.

“Around Aston Holl and Shotton high street there are traffic jams all the time. It’s a mess. Roads are starting to collapse under the weight of traffic.

“The roads near Highmere Drive weren’t designed for the level of traffic they are seeing. Nothing is being done about the infrastructure, but more homes are being planned.

The A55 should be the M55 it’s a nightmare every night. Shotton needed a bypass 15 years ago and never got one.

“The way things are going, at some point in the next five years, we will have to ask the question whether this whole area should be a city.”

Sean said although full plans have not been put forward, action needs to be taken and views need to be listened to.

He added: “Infrastructure needs investing in. People can’t get out of their streets onto main roads, there’s no traffic management. Getting out by the college can take over 20 minutes and the high street is horrendous.

“That should be pedestrianised. It’s all just a nightmare and they are adding more people. We want more housing, we haven’t got enough affordable housing but the investment is needed.

“We are just ordinary people who are fed up. Another reason for the objection is sewage. The main sewage work isn’t being upgraded so when we’ve had heavy rain the whole thing is flooding because it couldn’t cope.

“Now they want to add more homes. The services too, there’s no GPs, no doctors. Schools are tight. These things need to be looked at. They need to give us a plan for the future.”

Resident Craig Gratton said residents feel they are being let down.

He said: “The roads at the moment can’t cope but with another 150 homes, that’s what another 300 cars say. On top of services that are struggling.

“They are building houses but not making the infrastructure any better. As far as I’m aware they did a traffic survey during lockdown which isn’t a true reflection because everyone was at home.

“There are just so many worries. At the moment I’m happy for my kids to play out on the street because it’s a dead end and aren’t many cars but when they start building there’s going to be trucks flying up and down there so my kids will miss out on their childhood playing out.

“The areas they can go are disappearing too. They are taking all the green space away but not putting the infrastructure in first.”

The LDP is still in the examination phase, but Flintshire Council confirmed that no objections were raised to this site at the Examination session that considered LDP housing sites.

The LDP document read: "The development of the site will have a vehicular access off Highmere Drive in the form of a simple T-junction. The requirement for an emergency access / walking and cycling route, onto Courbet Drive is an area of disagreement between the parties."

The Local Development Plan is still at its Examination in Public stage with only two matters to now address, the Warren Hall Strategic Site and the Levels of Phosphates in rivers. Once concluded, a binding report will be received from the Planning Inspectorate.