A DECISION on controversial plans to demolish a Victorian property to make way for 15 new homes have been put on hold.

Plans have been submitted by a Mr A Snook to tear down 228 Abergele Road in Colwyn Bay and build the  development near a private driveway off Abergele Road.

But Conwy councillors were unhappy a traffic survey was carried out during COVID lockdown and argued that a second traffic assessment should be undertaken when the schools were open.

This was despite officers arguing that speed and not the volume of traffic was the important factor.

Officers said the speed of vehicles was likely to be the biggest risk to residents leaving the private lane adjoining the busy Abergele Road, a route used by pupils of Eirias High School, Ysgol Bryn Elian, Ysgol Bod Alaw, and Ysgol Hen Golwyn.

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Resident Robin Gulliver spoke at the meeting.

“The residents are not against redevelopment, but the proposal is a gross over- development, leaving no room for amenities,” he said.

“My main points are the development would increase risk to safety and the potential for accidents to people and traffic.

“There are frequent near-miss incidents. The traffic survey was carried out during COVID lockdown and is not representative of normal traffic conditions.”

Cllr Jo Nuttall was concerned about traffic and the number of children travelling to school on Abergele Road.

“We’ve also got the school children to think about. That (the development) is smack-bang in between Eirias and Bryn Elian, and then you’ve got Bod Alaw and the Hen Golwyn school.

“So you’ve got people passing, children with parents and groups of children at both ends of the day, so that would also need looking at.”

The developer’s agent Jamie Bradshaw was also speaking at the meeting.

“The proposal would also improve the existing access that serves the site and (for) the properties around it, with the road to be widened, the turning radius improved, a pedestrian footway constructed up to the site, and the visibility improved up to the junction,” he said.

“The building is well separated from neighbours. Care has been taken in the design to ensure that the building is well designed and of a suitable size and scale for the site and setting. It also has an attractive and suitable appearance that will allow it to blend into its setting.”

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But Cllr Chris Cater was unconvinced and proposed that the application was deferred until a second traffic survey her been carried out.

Cllr Ifor Lloyd seconded his proposal, and the decision was unanimous.

The proposed housing development consists of a split-level building, which appears as two storeys from the front (north) and single storey from the rear (south).

The proposed building will consist of 13 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments.

The planning application will return to the planning committee in October.