Leader readers slam plans for demolition of Hawarden monastery to make way for houses

On Friday, the Leader reported how plans to demolish Poor Clare Colettine Monastery in Hawarden and replace it with 15 new homes look set to be given the green light.

But Leader readers have taken to our social media page to lambaste the plans.

Lowri Morgan-Jones said: "Why must we keep destroying our history? These places are important. At least make it into something like a hospital - what a waste."

Salome Suhaib added: "We need houses but why destroy a historic building?"

Cerys Cae Townley said: "They shouldn't go ahead with this. Flintshire will have no buildings with history left."

Last year, a group of nuns based at the monastery took the decision to leave after spending 90 years in the village.

• Hawarden monastery set to be demolished to make way for 15 detached homes

They said they had chosen to join members of their order in Nottingham because of mounting maintenance costs.

Eccleston Homes later submitted an application to knock down the buildings on Upper Aston Hall Lane and create 15 detached houses.

And the scheme has now been recommended for approval by head of planning at Flintshire Council, Andrew Farrow.

Hazel Roberts described the plans as a 'disgrace', while others expressed sadness at the news.

John Saunders said: "Another sad sign of the times - more housing really."

Others described it as a 'great shame', 'disgusting' and that it's 'wrong on so may levels'.

Jue Jones questioned the provisions in the village for further housing development.

She said: "I understand the need for more houses but more houses means more cars, families, children, busier roads which school pupils use regularly to walk to and from school (primary and high school age).

"Our local schools are full as it is and turning away children as they don't have the space.

"Why not something more useful like schools, doctors, community hospital etc.

"Let alone all that it's a historical building, why demolish it instead of changing its use for something else?"

A financial contribution of £55,000 is being sought to address capacity issues at the secondary school.

Cllr Clive Carver, county councillor for Hawarden, said he could see no viable reason to vote against the plans.

He said: "I'm not too concerned with the history side of things, I'm no historian by any means but I know it's a relatively modern building.

"There have been concerns raised over road safety, that is something for both the council's highways department and the architect to sort between themselves.

"Whether or not that means a restructuring of the road network I don't know."

The application will be considered by the local authority’s planning committee at a meeting on Wednesday.