A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build 22 houses in Old Colwyn has been given the go ahead by Conwy planners.

Macbryde Homes secured planning permission to start phase two of its Bryn Y Mor housing development on Dolwen Road, Old Colwyn. Work is anticipated to start on site by the summer.

The 22 homes will expand the firm’s existing development of 76 homes and will be a mix of two and three bedroom semi detached homes and three and four bedroom detached properties. Four of the properties will be designated as affordable and a financial contribution will be made towards local facilities.

Simon Finlay, head of development at Macbryde Homes, said: “We have enjoyed significant interest across all our current and recent developments in North Wales and demand remains incredibly high.”

The planning application met a wave of protest from residents prior to it going before Conwy’s planning committee.

At the time Cllr Bob Squire said: “This has been going on for four or five years. The developer keeps applying. They are fully aware of the feeling against these houses.

“Ysgol Bryn Elian which is already fully subscribed and yet they are trying to build more houses. The GP surgery is also full. Llanelian Road, which leads to the site, is at maximum capacity already.”

His comments were echoed by Cllr Cheryl Carlisle, who said: “These constant planning applications for housing developments on green fields are putting huge strain on our already overburdened doctors, emergency services, schools and infrastructure.

“This is eating away at our natural village boundaries, and causing more traffic congestion, pollution, and shortage of school places. However, the worst impact will be on our local GP Surgery at Cadwgan, which has already had to absorb some 1,200 patients after the closure of Rashmi Surgery.”

“The other serious consequence will be the increased traffic at both the Marine roundabout, and the Coed Coch Road area, which cannot cope with the current volume. Safety of pedestrians, road users and patients will again be compromised, and no amount of traffic reports by developers, promising greener travel methods, will address this problem.”

Gail Jones, a nearby resident who is campaigning against the proposal, said: “The residents of Dolwen Road feel once again that they are being ignored by the council in their objections to the further development of Dolwen Road. In fact many have lost heart and have given up objecting as they feel what is the point? The council will approve any developments in Conwy that are applied for. We have asked for a new traffic survey, as the only surveys that have been undertaken do not take into account the seven other roads feeding traffic on to Dolwen Road.

“The report from Welsh Water states that there are problems with the water supply for the area which has been a problem for a number of years. They are unable to connect to the local sewer due to over capacity and so are going to have a treatment plant on site.”