PLANS to demolish a large Conwy house and replace it with 13 new homes have been refused by councillors after planning officers advised the proposal would be an overdevelopment.
The decision was made at a Conwy County Council planning committee meeting at the authority’s Coed Pella HQ in Colwyn Bay yesterday (Wednesday) following strong opposition from residents.
Applicants Stewart, Andrew, Alun, and Chris Jones applied to the authority’s planning department, seeking permission to demolish the home at 34 Cadnant Park, Conwy.
The council received around 150 representations, with residents warning the road was already being used as a “rat run” and arguing the scheme would worsen traffic and parking.
Speaking at the meeting, Mary Louise Edwards said she was representing hundreds of concerned residents.
“Thirteen houses is a significant overdevelopment with a very cramped hard-surface internal layout, no visitor parking, and no reasonable screening,” she said.
“Tree clearance took place before the ecology, tree, and bat surveys were carried out, undermining the baseline used to assess environmental impacts. The proposal is now to remove almost every other remaining tree and hedge on site.”
She added: “It is the wrong mix and type of housing for local need.”
The application concerned the existing house, its curtilage, and a small area of woodland to the north.
Proposals included a mix of homes: one affordable two-bedroom property, one affordable three-bedroom house, a larger three-bedroom home, two three-bedroom houses with garages, three three-bedroom split-level homes, four four-bedroom split-level houses, and a five-bedroom property with a double garage.
Agent Sion Roberts spoke in favour of the plans, arguing council policy meant the development was suitable both in terms of access and infrastructure.
“There is a significant need for both market and affordable dwellings across the county. There is currently a housing delivery shortfall of 43% compared to the local planning requirement,” he said.
But council planning officers advised the plans should be rejected, warning the proposal was too dense for the site and would be an overdevelopment.
A planning report said the scale of the proposal, combined with the area’s natural topography and existing infrastructure constraints, would have a significant adverse impact, recommending a lower-density development.
Conwy Town Council had also objected, raising concerns over highway safety.
Cllr Andrew Wood proposed councillors backed officers’ recommendation to refuse.
“We went on a site visit, and it was quite clearly pointed out the deficiency, I would say, in the application, so I am quite happy to mind not to grant planning permission,” he said.
Cllr Trystan Lewis seconded the proposal.
“I agree with Cllr Andrew Wood. Yesterday was very valuable and showed the purpose of his site visit. We could see the problem with the access, clearing the hedges, and that could have an impact on next door in terms of the landscape.”
Cllr Chris Cater added: “There are really significant constraints to this application site in terms of the site topography, and that was really evident yesterday.”
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of refusing the application.
