Flintshire County Council's Answer to various objections to the White Lion Development

Not accepted. Penyffordd and Penymynydd is a Category B settlement which given its size, character and facilities is capable of accommodating new development over the Plan
period within an indicative growth band of 8-15%. Taking into account existing commitments at the Plans base date the allocation together with the Wood Lane Farm Site would result
in a growth rate of 22%. Whilst this scale of growth is in excess of the growth band it is considered to be acceptable given that this settlement is in a highly sustainable location
having regard to road and rail transport corridors and a good range of service provision, as well as proximity to a nearby strategic centre for employment. In addition and by contrast
with other Category B settlements it is free from strategic environmental constraints. The allocation will make a valuable contribution to meeting housing need in the locality including
affordable housing needs.

The allocated site is bounded by the A5104 to the north, residential development along Penymynydd road to the west and a bridleway and existing residential development to the
south. The sites eastern boundary extends marginally beyond the line of development at the Well House Farm estate and is strongly defined by an established thorn hedgerow field
boundary. Development of the site would represent a clear rounding off of the existing settlement in line with Assembly advice in paragraph 9.3.1 of Planning Policy Wales and would
not represent a significant incursion into open countryside.

The Chief Highways Officer considers that satisfactory access can be provided to the site off the A5104 subject to improvement works to create a new right hand turn lane.
Similarly the allocation provides the opportunity to secure improvements via realignment to Penymynydd Road which is subject to a New Street Order.

Penyffordd and Penymynydd has a good range of facilities with the allocated site being close to St John the Baptists primary school and is approximately 1km from the centre of
the village which is well within the National Assembly’s acceptable walking distance of 20 minutes. The provision of health and other facilities is not a Council function and no representations were made by the authorities responsible for such facilities when they were consulted on the plan. The village is also sustainably located by virtue of it’s proximity to the main centre of Buckley and major employment centres at Broughton, Deeside and Mold. Public transport bus services are available for destinations to other centres such as Chester
and Wrexham and the site is some 2km distance from Penyffordd railway station.

Although concerns have been expressed about school capacity, in consultation with the Council’s Director of Education no objection was raised to the allocation. In the event of an increase in pupil numbers there appears to be no insurmountable physical or environmental constraint to
additional capacity being provided at local schools. The site is not within an area at risk of flooding and consultation responses have not indicated that development
on the site will have any flooding problems. Concern regarding the overload of the sewage treatment works is not considered to be an insurmountable constraint to development
considering the potential for developer and/or Dwr Cymru Welsh Water funding to increase the capacity of the existing infrastructure. Indeed, such improvements could only lead to the betterment of the current situation in the community. There are no nature conservation designations on the site however the pond associated with the former gravel workings
is known to contain the Great Crested Newt. Issues relating to the ecological value of the site can be addressed at a detailed planning application stage whereby the design and layout can ensure that any onsite natural features are integrated into the development to provide mitigation measures as recommended by the CCW in their consultation response.