RESIDENTS and community leaders are demanding 20-year-old plans to expand a road are thrown out.

Buckley householders are protesting against a planning application to build 89 new homes near Elfed Drive, which was given outline permission in 1989.

The plans involve widening Elfed Drive itself, which is currently home to two Safe Routes to Schools schemes.

Town mayor Carol Ellis said the impact on the local community would be disastrous and a wider, busier road would put children from Elfed High School and Southdown Primary School at risk.

She added: “These plans were approved in 1989 and it was a different world then to the one we are living in now.

“We recently held a public meeting about the issue and 185 people turned out to voice their concerns.

“I am trying, with the help of the town council, to get the decision to open up the road overturned.

“It should be thrown out based on the fact that there are two Safe Routes to Schools on that stretch and these plans would open it up as a rat run.

“It will affect everyone in this town and it is just not feasible.”

Elfed Drive resident Kevin Burns, has started a petition against the plan.

He told the Leader: “The junction between Elfed Drive and the high street is bad enough at the best of times and opening up the road would make it even busier and a lot more dangerous.

“There are always kids crossing the road on that stretch and it would be an accident waiting to happen.”

The application is due to be considered by Flintshire’s planning committee later this year.