Wrthi'n llwytho
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RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on the 16 July 2025 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.
RESOLVED- that the application be REFUSED in accordance with the Officer recommendations. The meeting concluded at 10.50 am
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Chris Evans, James Elson, Raj Metri, Peter Scott and Cheryl Williams.
Councillor Huw Hilditch Roberts raised a personal interest in agenda item 5, as the public speaker was known to him.
None.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on the 16 July 2025 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.
The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on the 16 July 2025 were submitted. Matters of accuracy – None Matters arising – None RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on the 16 July 2025 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED- that the application be REFUSED in accordance with the Officer recommendations. The meeting concluded at 10.50 am
An application was submitted (previously circulated) for erecting four dwellings, including the formation of access, landscaping, and associated works at land Adjacent to Bryn Derw, Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, Ruthin. Public speaker – Gethin Jones (agent) (for) – the proposal was for four detached homes within the village's settlement boundary was supported on the principle of residential development. The public speaker highlighted that previous applications had been made at the site, which proposed significantly larger number of units dominating the hillside with a complex internal road layout; however, the reconsidered scheme presented today was modest in scale and had been simplified, more sensitively and appropriately for the village. The site sits immediately adjacent to the A494 between Ruthin and Mold on the outer limit to the village and falls away quickly; the scheme was designed with the topography of the site in mind, each property would be set into the hillside at ridge heights to remain broadly with the road level, reducing massing and impact of the views for surrounding properties and the larger landscape. The AONB joint committee supported the natural materials proposed for the site, and raised no objection to the application. The public speaker outlined that affordable housing contributions would be agreed to with Denbighshire County Council as well as financial contributions for open space. It was acknowledged that the Council generally encourages a range of unit sizes within housing development across the county, however, in this instance due to factors such as the topography this was not possible. The speaker felt that the four, large, detached houses proposed minimised engineering works on the sit and afforded good natural light to the dwellings. The speaker felt a greater number of smaller units on the site would create engineering difficulties and give a greater impact on the AONB. The public speaker believed four detached homes represented a proportionate response to site constraints and would be consistent with nearby detached properties along the road. The highway matters had been discussed, and no objections to the application had been raised; it was also stated that internal arrangements and parking provisions were acceptable, subject to conditions. The scheme also delivers environmental improvements throughout a robust landscaping scheme. The public speaker concluded that the application was a modest and carefully considered scheme on a challenging site within the settlement boundary. It works with the site's topography and keeps the profile low. The public speaker thanked the committee for their time and urged them to approve the application, subject to the recommended conditions. General Debate – The Chair welcomed Councillor Huw Williams (local member) and asked if he had any comments regarding the application. Councillor Williams highlighted that there had been previous applications with at the site, and the application being debated by the committee today was much better scaled and in keeping with the village and area’s character, as agreed with the AONB committee, which raised no concern with the application. The Chair informed the committee that he would allow planning officers to give members some background on the application before opening for questions. The Principal Planning Officer guided members through the three recommended reasons for refusal by officers. The proposed development of four 4-bedroom dwellings (each with a gross internal floor area exceeding 200 square metres) fails to provide a range of house sizes and types that reflect the local need and demand identified in the Local Housing Market Assessment. As such, the proposal was unacceptable and conflicted with Policy BSC 1 of the Denbighshire Local Development Plan and Planning Policy Wales 12. Secondly, the proposal fails to make the most efficient use of land by failing to achieve an adequate density of development. The proposed development would result in a density of 9.7 dwellings per hectare; no compelling justification for this density has been submitted. Denbighshire Local Development Plan Policy RD 1, criterion ii requires a minimum density of 35 dwellings per hectare unless local circumstances dictate a lower density. Lastly, the proposed development would lead to an unavoidable increase in pedestrian traffic along the A494, in a location where there was no footway along the trunk road leading into or out of the village, and was likely to give rise to unacceptable dangers to all users of the highway. This was contrary to Criterion VII of Policy RD 1 of the Denbighshire Local Development Plan, which requires safe and convenient access for disabled people, pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. This also conflicted with Planning Policy Wales (12) and Future Wales, which emphasise the need for sustainable development, active travel routes with public transport links to serve development and reduce reliance on private car journeys. Councillor Merfyn Parry raised an issue with the officers’ reasons for refusal. The application was previously refused because of the larger number of units proposed meaning the applicant has reduced the number. However, the reduction does not make the application dense enough to meet housing needs. Councillor Parry raised that Highways or the AONB had raised no concerns to the application. Regarding the reason for refusal related to the lack of a safe pedestrian route, it was raised that there were several surrounding houses in the same circumstance. It was also outlined that there was no primary reason for people to walk into the village, as there was no significant reason to do so. Officers responded that the properties that were being proposed were larger, didn’t provide a range of house sizes, did not meet local needs, and did not make efficient use of land. Regarding pedestrian traffic, officers understood the comments regarding the surrounding area; however, it was made clear that any new proposal should have regard to improving pedestrian safety and active travel routes. Local Member Councillor Huw Williams raised an issue with the officers' comments, as the area was in a rural part of the county, and therefore, it was not unusual not to have connecting footpaths. Officers responded to members informing them that the development was within the development boundary. Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts highlighted that there needed to be a balance of common sense with the application; previous applications were granted in the area, which were in more dangerous locations regarding accessibility. If the scheme were larger, it would possibly raise concerns with bodies that have raised no issue with the current application, such as the AONB. There was a need for houses in Denbighshire, which was integral to the corporate plan. Regarding the footpath and connectivity in the village, there were no connections currently. Councillor Jon Harland raised concerns about accessibility and affordability of the application, as the applications were for four large properties, and whether they would have a tangible use for the local community. There were also concerns about the lack of detail regarding proposed benefits or improvements to the landscape and environment. Councillor Harland raised this in the context of a large oak tree having been felled by the applicant. Officers stated that if the application were granted, the environmental concerns would be covered by conditions placed by the planning authority. Councillor Terry Mendies raised concerns about the additional entryway, which would be on the busy A494 trunk road, and stated he would agree with the officer's recommendation to refuse. Councillor Huw Williams responded to issues raised regarding concerns with the road. The Welsh Government had been taking calming measures on the road, which were working in the 30mph area into the town. The tree that was felled was rotten. Proposal – Councillor Ellie Chard proposed that the application be refused in accordance with officer's recommendation, seconded by Councillor Andrea Tomlin. Vote – For – 14 Against – 2 Abstain – 0 RESOLVED- that the application be REFUSED in accordance with the Officer recommendations. The meeting concluded at 10.50 am
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