The LDP consultation process is upon us. What does the LDP offer for Rhuthun and its surrounding villages, in terms of housing? No settlement will be left untouched, not even hamlets.
Starting with the whole of Denbighshire, the LDP suggests we need 7,500 new homes to keep pace with population change. Of these:
Rhuthun is a so-called “lower growth town”. It already has an allocation of new built homes, at Glasdir (all completed units are now occupied). The LDP calls for a further 50 of this 485, again at Glasdir. People will no doubt oppose this in the same way they did the current site. There is nevertheless a presumption towards a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing, as a means of keeping young people in the area. This, surely, is to be welcomed.
That Glasdir seems so isolated from the rest of Rhuthun could be remedied by the inclusion of future homes on land between Glasdir & the established housing at Y Parc. The LDP shows this land as suitable for future housing. The land runs to the footpath running east-west to the immediate north of Y Parc but excludes the sports fields & pavilion. This is flat land but there remain flooding issues on some parts of it, too. Witness the considerable engineering at Glasdir in mitigation.
The LDP also calls for a presumption towards housing on redundant, brownfield sites. Rhuthun has few of these, outside Slater’s in the town centre. In very recent times, there’s been a small but significant infilling between Clwyd Street and the Cunning Green and this has included former brownfield areas. The town council wants a halt to this, for fear of causing local land drainage difficulties. Yet, such housing is actually more sustainable than at Glasdir, as facilities are on the doorstep without the need to travel.
Denbighshire villages will see a contribution of 300 new homes, towards local needs. Again, there is a presumption towards low cost housing. Since over half of the villages are in the Rhuthun catchment area, expect pro rata 150 new dwellings.
The LDP suggests that development should be within the scale of each village but it’s clear that some villages, those already having a high proportion of new development, are likely to see proportionately higher new builds, including Clawddnewydd, Gwyddelwern, Pentre Llanrhaeadr & Llanfair DC. The last of these has no village shop. Yet, Y Gyffylliog is an example of a village to experience no appreciable housing growth whatsoever.
Phots: 1. Glasdir, current build; 2. on brownfield land at the bottom of the Cunning Green near town mill; 3. infill between Cunning Green & Clwyd Street; 4. apartments on brownfield land to the rear of Plas Meddyg
Starting with the whole of Denbighshire, the LDP suggests we need 7,500 new homes to keep pace with population change. Of these:
- 800 have already been built
- 1,600 have permission or are under construction and
- 3,000 can be accommodated within existing development boundaries
- That leaves 2,100 homes outside current planning envelopes
- 1,715 are identified for Bodelwyddan
- This leaves but 385 for the “lower growth towns” and Denbighshire is planning for 485
Rhuthun is a so-called “lower growth town”. It already has an allocation of new built homes, at Glasdir (all completed units are now occupied). The LDP calls for a further 50 of this 485, again at Glasdir. People will no doubt oppose this in the same way they did the current site. There is nevertheless a presumption towards a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing, as a means of keeping young people in the area. This, surely, is to be welcomed.That Glasdir seems so isolated from the rest of Rhuthun could be remedied by the inclusion of future homes on land between Glasdir & the established housing at Y Parc. The LDP shows this land as suitable for future housing. The land runs to the footpath running east-west to the immediate north of Y Parc but excludes the sports fields & pavilion. This is flat land but there remain flooding issues on some parts of it, too. Witness the considerable engineering at Glasdir in mitigation.
The LDP also calls for a presumption towards housing on redundant, brownfield sites. Rhuthun has few of these, outside Slater’s in the town centre. In very recent times, there’s been a small but significant infilling between Clwyd Street and the Cunning Green and this has included former brownfield areas. The town council wants a halt to this, for fear of causing local land drainage difficulties. Yet, such housing is actually more sustainable than at Glasdir, as facilities are on the doorstep without the need to travel.
Denbighshire villages will see a contribution of 300 new homes, towards local needs. Again, there is a presumption towards low cost housing. Since over half of the villages are in the Rhuthun catchment area, expect pro rata 150 new dwellings.
The LDP suggests that development should be within the scale of each village but it’s clear that some villages, those already having a high proportion of new development, are likely to see proportionately higher new builds, including Clawddnewydd, Gwyddelwern, Pentre Llanrhaeadr & Llanfair DC. The last of these has no village shop. Yet, Y Gyffylliog is an example of a village to experience no appreciable housing growth whatsoever.Phots: 1. Glasdir, current build; 2. on brownfield land at the bottom of the Cunning Green near town mill; 3. infill between Cunning Green & Clwyd Street; 4. apartments on brownfield land to the rear of Plas Meddyg