COUNCILLORS have deferred an outline planning application for up to 140 houses in Buckley due to concerns over flooding, potential contamination, and highway access.

At a Flintshire Council Planning Committee (Wednesday, November 22) the application submitted by Clwyd Alyn Housing Ltd for land at Well Street in Buckley saw concerns raised by members.

The outline application for a residential development of up to 140 dwellings with associated means of access, open space, sustainable drainage infrastructure and all other associated works, was recommended to be granted, subject to conditions.

Conditions included:

Contributions required would be £330,939.00 towards improvements to Southdown CP school

Payment of £1,100.00 per dwelling ( £733.00 per affordable dwelling) in lieu of on-site provision. The payment would be used to enhance existing play area at The Flash park, Bistre

Scheme to ensure that the Affordable dwellings remain affordable in perpetuity and at an appropriate tenure.

A sum of £14k to cover the cost of advertising and implementing future traffic regulation orders.

The plans have seen concerns raised however, and during the meeting, councillors heard from a local resident who highlighted issues with the site, including potential contamination and flooding in the area.

A statement was read out from Buckley Town Council, which said residents were concerned about flood risks and phosphates in the soil due to past industrial works, along with the drainage of the site and volume of traffic on surrounding roads for pedestrians.

Cllr Hilary McGuill (Lib Dem) for Argoed and New Brighton - raised concerns around the access and how it will affect Rose Lane, which she said has no footpath and is “extremely narrow”. She said the drainage ditches were also raised as they “take quite a bit of water” off the field and if not maintained properly issues will arise which could cost the council.

A site meeting had been conducted, which Cllr McGuill was unable to attend, but she had asked the bus to go down the lane to demonstrate her concerns, which they did.

Cllr Dan Rose for Buckley: Bistre West (Labour)proposed that they go against the proposal due to issues regarding the flooding and the amount of water seen at the site, which was seconded by Cllr Ted Palmer (Labour) for Holywell Central.

Cllr Bernie Attridge (Ind) for Connah's Quay Central, however, suggested that the plans be deferred instead. He had recognised the land was examined for the LDP, and that it is an outline application, so there isn’t a lot of detail, but felt that there were unanswered questions. With the issues raised at the meeting, the application could not be “dealt with” yet but did not want to refuse the application.

This was seconded by Cllr Carol Ellis (Non-Aligned) for Buckley: Mountain.

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Cllr Chirs Bithell (Labour) for Mold East said the land was already accepted as part of the LDP and the issues surrounding possible contamination, access and flooding had been previously raised, so “there’s nothing new”.

He acknowledged that the issues “will be examined” and will be “treated properly” as part of a detailed full application so he had “no particular desire” to see the application deferred, or refused.

The council heard from planning officers that the concerns are not expected to be addressed in an outline application. But the committee voted to defer the planning application due to issues raised around flooding, highway access and potential contamination.