CONTROVERSIAL plans to move asylum seekers into a Flintshire hotel have been refused.
The application was to make the Northop Hall Country House Hotel accomodation for 408 single male asylum seekers over a seven-year period.
At Flintshire Council's planning committee meeting this afternoon (Wednesday, September 27), the application was refused by a unanimous vote.
It came after planning officials raised concerns that insufficient information had been submitted to "ensure that the physical and social infrastructure exists", or can be provided, to "ensure the proposed development can be sustainably accommodated within the community without resulting in significant harm".
A report added: "The overall scale, siting and design of the proposed development will result in a detrimental impact upon the living conditions, amenity and potentially the safety of the adjoining neighbouring residential properties as well as the living conditions of the occupants."
Councillors described the application as "ludicrous" and the like they'd never seen before.
Cllr Carol Ellis said it was "the worst application I've ever seen", and that it brought "shame on the Home Office".
Cllr Bernie Attridge added: "In all my years on the planning committee, I've never seen such a planning application. The agent has no consideration for the impact it'd have on residents, and I think it's driven by greed."
Northop councillor, Marion Bateman, described it as a "ridiculous" application - which would leave the health service at "risk of collapse".
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board raised "significant concerns" over the plans, and would have had to create a site at the hotel to cater for the health needs of the 400 occupants.
Approximately 250 people would have been accommodated in the modular temporary units which would be removed from site at the end of the period. Some 150 would have been placed within the existing building. Use of the site as a hotel would resume at the end of the temporary permission.
Northop Hall is home to roughly 1,500 people - meaning its population would have risen by around a quarter.
Representatives from the local Northop Hall Action Group, residents living near the hotel and community council all spoke in opposition at the meeting.
They raised concerns over road safety, the pressure it'd place on local amenities, health system, noise pollution and potential trespassing. Concerns were also raised about the loss of the hotel and the impact that'd have on the local economy.
Pete Lloyd, speaking on behalf of the applicant Payman Holdings Ltd, warned that a refusal of the application could leave there being a need for "dispersal accomodation" in Flintshire for asylum seekers. He said approving the application would be "brave and forward thinking".
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