Plans to build new two bedroom property in Chirk refused by council

Plans to build a new home in a residential area of Chirk have been refused by Wrexham Council.

A proposal had been submitted to the authority seeking to build a two-bedroom home with off-street parking for two cars, on land to the rear of an existing three-bedroom home on George Street.

But council planners have turned down the proposal stating that the “design would result in a substandard level of residential accommodation” for potential residents of the property.

A design and access statement which had been submitted with the plans explained that there would be no impact on surrounding properties and the development would be located in an area which needs additional housing.

It said: “It is proposed to sub-divide the existing plot to ensure both the existing host property and the proposed dwelling both have acceptable private garden space.

“The proposed dwelling has been thoughtfully designed so not to unduly impact on the neighbouring properties’ amenity, whilst maintaining good levels of natural daylight and outlook. The proposed dwelling and the host dwelling would have off-street parking in accordance with the local policies.

“The new dwelling would provide a high quality family dwelling to an area in great need of additional housing.”

A delegated decision was made on the application by Wrexham Council’s interim Chief Planning Officer Ian Jones.

The application has been refused both on its design, with concerns about windows, and the potential for the development to add to the phosphorus levels, in the River Dee and Bala Lake Special Conservation Area, through wastewater.

Writing to explain the decision, Mr Jones said: “By virtue of the proposed first floor habitable room windows (bedroom and study) facing north, having obscure glazed windows as the only source of outlook from these rooms, the design would result in a substandard level of residential accommodation.

“This would be to the detriment of the residential amenities of the future occupiers of the development, by restriction of outlook contrary to policy GDP1 of the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan and Local Planning Guidance ‘Space around Dwellings’.

By Rory Sheehan – BBC Local Democracy Reporter