Detailed plans for Llay housing development approved despite concerns over privacy for some homes

Detailed plans to build more than 50 new homes in Llay have been approved.

The reserved matters application for the land surrounding the Llay Royal British Legion building was debated by members of the council’s planning committee on Monday afternoon.

Outline planning permission for the principle of a housing development has been in place since 2019 when controversial plans for a ‘hybrid’ development were given the go ahead, despite concerns about the impact on local infrastructure.

However plans to build on the site around the Llay Royal British Legion – which is unaffected by the proposals – have been in the pipeline since 2017 when an initial application to develop on the land was submitted.

At yesterday’s meeting Llay councillor Rob Walsh said that whilst the plans had been improved upon, he had concerns about the distance between some of the properties.

As part of the plans, of the 10 dwellings facing onto Watts Dyke, seven will lie directly opposite nos. 93-103 Watts Dyke at distances of 18 and 19 metres.

Cllr Walsh said: “My concern is if we went ahead with this and it was too overbearing, it’s too late once the properties are built.

“I’m seriously concerned that even though there is some discretion, once it’s up, it’s up. These guidance notes are there for a reason and we shouldn’t dismiss them lightly.

“Personally I’d be happier if the houses were just a few metre further back, and therefore that would that would comply and wouldn’t cause potential problems in the future.”

Councillor Bryan Apsley, who also represents the Llay ward, raised similar concerns about the distance and privacy of some of the dwellings.

Planning officer Matthew Phillips, said: “I appreciate what Cllr Walsh has said in terms of the the guidance note, but I would remind you that it is a guidance note it isn’t a rigid standard, it’s a starting point.

“Where proposals don’t fully meet those those standards, the context of the development and the relationship with the neigh-boring properties and the existing situation must be considered.

“And in this instance the properties opposite, irrespective of whether this development goes ahead, are overlooked from Watts Dyke from the footpath and from from the highway.”

He added: “I visited the site previously and I visited the site this afternoon and if you walk along Watts Dyke you get a clear view into the into the frontages of those properties. So they those areas are not private, nor are the windows to the frontages of those properties.

“So introducing dwellings opposite does not adversely impact upon the privacy of those properties.”

However this was challenged by Cllr Apsley, who argued that there’s a “difference between driving past in a car or walking past as a pedestrian then there is to having windows directly opposite the houses.”

Ruabon councillor Dana Davies raised concerns about the lack of green space available on the land for those living in the development.

The committee was told that as part of the outline permission there was a planning obligation for £1000 per property on the site to be provided for offsite public open space provision.

The reserved matters application was approved by a majority of councillors, with 10 voting in favour of the plans, five abstaining from the vote and one councillor voting against.