Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday 27th September 2007 at the Village Centre, Gwernymynydd.

Chairman: Councillor K. Taylor.

1. Apologies for Absence

All Councillors were present at the meeting.

2. To Approve the Minutes of the July Meeting

The Minutes of the above had been distributed and were confirmed as a true record of the business transacted at the meeting.

3. Matters Arising from the Minutes

With reference to the resolution taken by the Council to honour former Councillor and Chairman, M. Hayes JP with a dedicated bench and plaque located at the Carmel Chapel site the Members although recognising the work and achievements of other Councillors and Chairmen maintained the decision taken at the previous meeting.

Councillor Mrs. E. Parry again related her concerns to the Council regarding noise pollution caused by an increase in passenger aircraft flying over Gwernymynydd. The Clerk reported that he had been in contact with Flint Town Council, reference to the recent news report in the Chester Chronicle about the same complaint. Councillors Mrs. N. Matthews and J. McCormick again provided additional information on the matter of flight paths and related consultation processes. The Council resolved to write to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to seek their comments on the issue of noise nuisance relating to the increase in air traffic and also to Local Councils in the area to seek their views on the matter.

Councillor G. Morris informed the Members that work on the hard standing area to the rear of the Village Centre had now been completed. Councillor Morris also related to the Council that Flintshire County Council had installed the requested ‘dog bin’ at the agreed site in Hafod Road.

Llys Enfys grass verge, the Clerk reported to the Members that he had received a letter acknowledging the Council’s concerns from Flintshire County Council.

4. Gwernymynydd Community Development Plan

Councillor C. Bradshaw by way of a reminder presented to the Council the main theme of the Plan, he worked through the handout document given to Members at the previous meeting; this outlined by means of a flow diagram the guidance to be followed.

As previous, Councillor Bradshaw related what the issues were and requested feedback from the Members on the points given. The Council will ultimately have an overview of the Development Plan with the aim to achieve a proactive approach as to what is desirable for the Community of Gwernymynydd. Initially the topic of Planning Issues and how they relate to Flintshire County Council’s UDP to be in the forefront as identified through the consultative procedures that are already in place. It is hoped that the guidance from the Welsh Assembly Government where Town/Community Councils are to be considered for more individual responsibility that the stated initiative will help the Council in its endeavour to formulate the Development Plan along lines that are being actively pursued in England, the Village Design Statement was quoted as being an excellent example of the Local/County and or Unitary Authority in England working together for the benefit of the community.

Members were requested to consider the information given for further discussion.

5. Gwernymynydd Youth Council/Youth Club

Councillors Mrs. N. Matthews and E. Owens related to the Council the positive points that had arisen out of the recent meeting held with youths of the village and Flintshire County Council, Youth and Community Service.

A Youth Club will initially be tried one night a month, a Tuesday evening, and for the launch of the Club invitations will be sent out requesting help from volunteers in the village. It was stressed at the Club would be led by the youths but any help and assistance that could be given would be gratefully received.

6. Reports

1. Police Matters

The Chairman welcomed PC G. Aldous to the meeting and the Members were pleased to learn from the Constable that he had signed an extension of his contract for a further 2 years. PC Aldous informed the Council of the recent crime figures and incidents concerning Gwernymynydd, this related to a house party whereby items were stolen and property being damaged. Concerns were raised by Councillors relating to the ‘double parking’ of vehicles in Blaenwern and Llys Enfys, Constable Aldous stated that the issues of parking in these areas would be closely monitored and action taken where needed. With reference to the problem of parked vehicles obstructing the access into the NPFA field Constable Aldous informed the Members of the discussions he had had with the North Wales Trunk Road Agency. The main point outlined to the Constable was that any offending vehicles should be reported to him in order that appropriate enforcement action could be taken to clear the access. The Agency would not pursue the suggestion of yellow no parking hatching in the access hammer head.

With reference to the problem of speeding motorists in Cadole PC Aldous commented on the quick response he had received from Flintshire County Council and although some of the actions suggested by residents and the Council were able to be done as soon as possible others would have to wait their turn due to financial restrictions.

For the information of the Council PC Aldous reported that Inspector Alan Oldfield and Acting Sergeant Katie Quinn were now in post.

The Members thanked PC. Aldous for his report and for attending the meeting.

2. Outside Bodies

With reference to the Village Centre Management Committee,

Councillor G. Morris provided an update of information for the Members. The shrubs and trees had been cut back, roof work on the Centre has been planned and actioned to be undertaken in the near future and the Centre’s windows would be ‘filmed’ as a measure of safety to users of the facility.

3. Sub-Committees

There were no items for discussion.

4. A494, Gwernymynydd/Cadole

There were no additional items to discuss.

5. Complaints received by Councillors

There were no items for discussion.

7. Correspondence

Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were received by the Council.

Item 8, Flintshire County Council, new powers for Town/Community Councils under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, the Council resolved to leave responsibility for enforcement relating to Litter and Dog Fouling to Flintshire County Council.

Item 9, Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places Regulations 2006, the Council resolved that with reference to Gwernymynydd there should be no changes to that which already exists.

8. Late Correspondence

There were no items for discussion.

9. Planning Matters

Ref: KYT/043714, Change of use of link footpath to domestic garden space in connection with numbers 7 and 9 Minffordd Fields, Gwernymynydd.

AGREED

Ref: KYT/043867, Erection of a detached bungalow located on land to the side of Findeg View, Village Road, Cadole.

AGREED

With respect to the above application the Council resolved to give its full support reference to development within Cadole.

At this point in the Council Meeting the Members relocated into the Main Hall of the Centre to discuss the next planning application.

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting Members of the Public, the concern of everyone present being the submitted planning application for housing development at Siglen Ucha, Ruthin Road, Gwernymynydd.

Ref: KSS/043076, Demolition of existing buildings and residential development of 24 dwellings and associated works including ground remodelling, located on land at Siglen Ucha, Ruthin Road, Gwernymynydd.

NOT AGREED

With reference to the above, an amended application, the Members of the Council at the meeting unanimously resolved to object to this re-submitted proposal for the following reasons.

1. The application proposes a residential development on a site which lies outside the present designated Gwernymynydd Village Envelope; this constitutes building in open countryside and breaches the concept of a green belt.

2. Access/egress to and from the site is on the busy A 494 Trunk Road, there is the hazard of speeding vehicles ignoring the 40 mph limit, the road is well used by heavy goods vehicles carrying stone from the nearby quarries and there have been numerous accidents at this location. The Atkin’s Report on a previous submission lists few road traffic accidents near to the proposed site; the Council again disputes this because police records only indicate situations where it has been necessary for them to attend the accident, the Council emphasizes the statement that there have been numerous road traffic incidents in this location. The access/egress point is opposite to the Twmpath Lane/Paddock Way, which houses 12 dwellings, it is near to the brow of the hill and a bend resulting in poor vision in both directions along the Trunk Road. The additional vehicle movements that would be caused by the development would exacerbate an already hazardous traffic situation. The Council is of the opinion that the Welsh Assembly Government, Trunk Road Agency would need to be consulted on this proposed development as the amount of traffic seeking access/egress to/from the site would require acceleration/deceleration lanes with respect to the A 494.

3. The proposal is for 24 houses on a small site; this development would result in overcrowding and would be detrimental to the rural character of Gwernymynydd village; the planned development in this location could be viewed as a village in its own right. The proposed houses are too close together and would result in insufficient space to accommodate the parking of 2 or more cars. Visitors to the houses would only be able to park on the busy A 494 Trunk Road. In addition to this by calculation each of the 24 plots would measure 400 square metres, this is too small a footprint to accommodate the designed houses plus utilities.

4. There would be a problem of surface water run-off to neighbouring properties, particularly to the Haulage Yard which already suffers from flooding. The building of 24 houses would exacerbate the problem.

5. It is anticipated that there would be a problem with the foul water system, to service an additional 24 houses on an already overstretched main would inevitably cause problems on the existing sewers.

6. Concerns are expressed with regard to underlying mine shafts and the stability of the ground area to accommodate the proposed number of houses.

7. The site is near to the AONB, the proposed development would be visually intrusive on the landscape. In this application the developer completely alters the existing landscape to crowd in the 24 houses. The terraced/semi detached dwellings would tower above Ruthin Road (A 494) and would be completely out of character with the locality. Also the houses fronting the A 494 have direct door access onto the pavement that runs alongside the Trunk Road; this is an extremely hazardous design feature as it would encourage stationary/parked vehicles on the very busy A 494.

8. The contour levels outlined in the development dictate a 6 metre plus height differential between the houses at the east end of the site and the haulage yard and its neighbouring properties. This will result in an unacceptable, overlook and lack of privacy situation to those properties.

9. The proposed development infers that the Flintshire County Council UDP will be accepted in full however with reference to HSG 9 of the UDP document paragraph 11.59 now states that it does not necessarily need 25 houses to be built for the developer to provide 30% of the total for affordable housing. There is no provision for affordable houses in the proposal. More importantly, the UDP has not yet been fully accepted.

10. The previous application showed that a large retaining wall was to be built at one end of the site, what will be used to retain the ground? There is no mention of the wall the size of which with a house built on top would overshadow the neighbouring property and alter the topography of the village and as such would be unacceptable.

11. The application suggests that the proposed development site is a brownfield site, the Council contests this statement, Siglen Ucha was a small holding.

12. Previous decisions taken on applications to develop Siglen Ucha have insisted that the front façade of the original dwelling had to be retained to keep within the local character of the village, this proposal does not consider this aspect, it refers to complete demolition of a property of local village character.

13. The neighbouring Haulage Yard is a flourishing well respected business; the developer’s proposal will seriously jeopardize that business.

14. The development does not accommodate an open space/play area facility which is contrary to Flintshire County Council’s planning policy.

In its comments/objections to Flintshire County Council the Council respectfully requested that its observations on the proposal be earnestly considered, that the decision process would not be undertaken by delegated powers and that a site visit by the respective committee be undertaken to view the proposed development taking into account the objections of the Council. This application needs to be fully examined with the views of the local community taken to heart as the Council is voicing what the village is saying.

Ref: GMN/97382, The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment, England and Wales) Regulations 1999, Regulation 10, Scoping Opinion for Determination of a Scheme of New Conditions at Bryn Gwyn Quarry, Gwernymynydd.

With reference to the above Councillors Mrs. N. Matthews and C. Bradshaw provided a comprehensive update of the situation. Following a prohibition notice being served by Flintshire County Council on re-opening the quarry the owners, D. P. Williams (Holdings) Ltd. had appealed against the decision and as such a public inquiry will now be held, this is likely to take place on the 15th January 2008. The full support of Councillors, neighbouring Councils, Communities and the residents of Gwernymynydd are requested in order to resist the re-opening of the quarry.

10. Finance

Payments were authorised and cheques signed totalling £656.38

Chairman......................................................................................................................

Payments authorised at the meeting held on the 27th September 2007.