Morfa Glasdir

As if the problems surrounding the new housing market aren’t bad enough. We’re talking a post-credit crunch 20 per cent reduction in new house reservations and the bottom dropping out of the buy-to-let flat market. Both are expected to affect Rhuthun’s Glasdir development, especialy with so many apartments available.

There’s more. Since Bryant Homes/Wimpey was forced to stop pumping out water to the River Clwyd from its site, there’ve been significant drainage issues. Slack water has for a while gathered on the site side of the embankment designed to keep the Afon Clwyd at bay, to the west of the site. The resultant lake is settling at the point where Bryant will be constructing its next new builds.

You can hear the collective voice of Rhuthun saying, ‘We told you so’. Glasdir is renowned for its waterlogged and flooded bad ground. Bryant/Wimpey couldn’t keep pumping indefinitely, of course, and we’re sure there’s an engineering solution, though we’re also sure this won’t be cheap.

At the public meeting due on Thursday, Bryant/Wimpey will alleviate potential buyers’ concerns over flooding and explain the lengths they have gone to. Upon site completion, we’d say the measures taken will reduce the chances of a flood significantly (to zero?), though whether the site will consequently affect land south towards the town is anyone’s guess.

Meanwhile, rather than the totally non-Welsh chosen name of ‘Glasdir Vale’, we would suggest Morfa Rhuthun or Morfa Glasdir, at least for the time being.