Holywell's Lluesty hospital development 'at risk'

A developer who wants to build houses on a former hospital site has claimed the project is being jeopardised by council demands.

Flintshire Council wants BAK Building Ltd to pay more than £25,000 towards two play areas and give four properties to the council for affordable housing.

Consultants claim the requirements could see the plans for Holywell's old Lluesty Hospital coming to nothing.

They said it was "unviable" for the council to impose obligations.

"In addition to delivering new housing, the scheme will also deliver additional economic benefits to the authority in the form of a new homes bonus and council tax," said Grasscroft Development Solutions.

The report estimated the scheme would generate just over half-a-million pounds profit without any requirements tagged on, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Kept in place there would be a loss of about £60,000, it said.

The imposition of requirements "exacerbates the viability concern", the consultants said.

In a report, planning officer Katie Jones said the plans should be refused.

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She said: "In the absence of the required agreement, the proposal would not comply with the requirements of policies of the Flintshire unitary development plan."

The site was originally home to a workhouse in the late 1830s before it was turned into a hospital in 1948.

The Grade II listed property closed its doors in 2008 and has remained empty ever since.

Separate proposals for about 90 homes on a different part of the hospital grounds were approved by councillors in October 2019.

Planners hope to make a decision towards the end of July.