TODAY marks six months since a former social club was burned to the ground in a suspected arson attack.

Now the desolate site where Shotton Lane Social Club once stood could form part of a multi-million pound transformation of Deeside.

Residents say the empty site should be used for affordable homes now that bulldozers have cleared away the remnants of the 98-year-old club.

Shotton Higher Councillor Ron Davies has penned a letter to Flintshire Council to take action on the site sooner rather than later.

He told the Leader: “I think the best solution is to build affordable housing.

“It would put an empty site to use and it is something that will benefit the whole community.”

Shotton East Cllr Doreen Mackie says local developers are being encouraged to make use of the land, adding: “I just hope that whatever becomes of the site is something the community would benefit from.”

Shotton Lane resident Brian McDonald, 70, says homes on the site would also eradicate the problem of the 40-foot temporary phone mast erected at the site when a previous, less visible one was destroyed in the fire.

He added: “Everybody I have spoken to seems to be in favour of new homes on the site.

“It would be one way to get rid of that phone mast anyway.”

The disused club was earmarked for an Islamic Cultural Centre by the Flintshire Muslim Cultural Society who made a television appeal on Sky Channel S in a bid to raise funds for the project.

But more than 100 people were evacuated from their homes when the derelict club went up in flames on February 4.

Fire investigators say damage to the building was so great they have been unable to pinpoint a cause.

The club, which closed its doors last August, was later demolished.

The Connah’s Quay and Shotton masterplan, which was approved by members of Flintshire Council’s executive, proposes to open up Shotton town centre by removing railings while work to improve Wepre Brook and the frontage of shops near Connah’s Quay health centre could take place.

It also includes the redevelopment of Connah’s Quay Civic Centre, the improvement of pedestrian and cycle routes, the upgrading of Connah’s Quay Precinct and the area around Shotton railway bridge.