PLANNERS have been advised to reject proposals for a Flintshire holiday park.

The Leader reported earlier this year how the plans to develop a piece of land at Northop Country Park were put forward.

Up to 30 lodges were proposed, as well as a shop and cycle hire facility.

A report to the authority's planning committee, which will meet on Wednesday, recommends the refusal of the plans.

It states: "The proposed scheme has the appearance of a dense housing

development and not a tourism development due to the scale and

density of the layout.

"The Local Planning Authority considers the proposal comprises an undesirable form of development, which by virtue of its scale and siting, would be at odds with the surrounding rural character.

"The proposal would result in an absolute change to a currently undeveloped area of land resulting in a significant expansion of built form into the countryside replica of an isolated modern housing estate.

"As such the proposal would be harmful to the character and appearance of the immediate and surrounding area."

Permission was granted for a hotel with almost 200 bedrooms on the same site 20 years ago as part of wider scheme, which included houses and offices.

Builders J&T Gizzi Limited put forward the new application, which the company said could create up to six full time jobs.

In documents submitted to Flintshire Council on their behalf, William Gill from JPH Architects said: “The applicant has held the land for a number of years but does not feel that a 198-bed hotel would be viable in this location.

“It is thought that the setting would be more conducive to a lodge style park, carrying on the spirit of the previously approved hotel, which will provide good quality tourism accommodation."

The report to planners adds: "Whilst opportunities to promote tourism are welcomed, and this includes the benefits this has on the local economy and employment, the location, type and scale of tourist accommodation needs to be appropriate to the characteristics of the site and locality.

"The appraisal evidences that this is not the case."

According to the report Northop Community Council objected to the development on grounds including the scheme being "out of character" with the existing site, as well as "an increase in the volume of

traffic on the narrow site road and through Northop village."

27 letters of objection were also received from neighbours.