BODAFON FIELDS AT RISK

Conwy’s new draft Local Development Plan includes a proposal which could see 65 dwellings being built on 1.8 hectares ( approx 4 acres ) of Bodafon Fields.

The site is alongside Nant y Gamar Road, next to Ysgol Gogarth and is part of the proposed GREEN WEDGE between Craig-y-Don and Craigside.

In fact most of Bodafon Fields, including this particular site are designated prime agricultural land, protected under the National Assembly’s Policy Planning Wales document. It states that land graded  1, 2 and 3a  is a scarce resource and MUST be protected from development.

The document states quite firmly that all other “inferior” quality land MUST be used BEFORE protected land is developed.

The Association can find NO MENTION of the land quality or grade in the documentation when it should have been a KEY POINT. This would have made sure that all councillors were well aware the land IS PROTECTED.

Officers only highlighted the green wedge aspect and the need to enhance the sewer network, as constraints to development.

Two weeks ago Mostyn Estates started building the new Golf Driving Range on Bodafon Fields. This will use up another 5.5 hectares of prime farming land. Another 12 hectares is frequently used for Llandudno’s tourism events such as the Extravaganza and Transport Festival to name just a few.

Add housing into this and a farm that once had 40 hectares will have only 15 hectares for year round use.

Planners are guided by a series of government Technical Advice Notes ( TAN. ). TAN 6 deals with development of agricultural land and requires councils to consider land quality, farm size and structure, especially loss of land to farming, severance and fragmentation. We can find NO EVIDENCE that this guidance has been followed in this case.

THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS ONE HORRIFIC MISTAKE.

Councillors ( your elected representatives ) have voted on this plan without being fully aware of the restrictions on this site.

Only 4 years ago the council’s planning director at the time when  recommending approval of the golf driving range, wrote:

other forms of inappropriate development such as residential development would be RESISTED by this authority within this landscape designation.

The plan is available on line at www.conwy.gov.uk/ldp and can also be seen at Llandudno Library during normal office hours.