PLANS have been put in place to accommodate Meliden residents with no Internet access to follow a planning inquiry regarding an application to build more than 100 new houses in the village.

Planning and Environment Decision Wales’ (PEDW) inquiry into an application by Penrhyn Homes to build 133 homes on Mindale Farm in Meliden is set to begin on March 1.

But numerous residents and politicians have previously voiced their displeasure in such a significant event not being held in-person, not least because of the number of people in Meliden without Internet access.

The inquiry will now be available for members of the public to follow on a screen at Meliden Community Centre.

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council (DCC) said: “A virtual planning inquiry over DCC’s decision to refuse planning permission for 133 dwellings and the construction of a new access road is set to start on Tuesday, March 1 at 10am.

“The application was submitted by Penrhyn Homes in 2018 but due to the pandemic, the appeal has been delayed until now.

“As the inquiry is being held virtually, provision has been made for the public to be able to attend Meliden Community Centre, Ffordd Talargoch, to view the proceedings on a screen.

“The inquiry is being run by PEDW.”

Since an initial proposal was made public in 2016, the homes have since been rejected, dismissed by appeal, revised and rejected again.

Earlier this month, former councillor and mayor Bob Paterson, of the Mindale Opposition Group, organised a public event at Meliden Community Centre, as he deems it unfair that the inquiry will be held online and will limit residents’ input.

This, Mr Paterson told the Journal, was a successful event, with about 30 people attending, and the main points of contention being the disappointment regarding the inquiry due to be held virtually – “one used the expression ‘broadband poverty’,” he said.

Mr Paterson also helped draw up petitions in opposition to the decision to hold the planning inquiry online, which garnered roughly 160 signatures.

Both the MP and MS for Vale of Clwyd, Dr James Davies and Gareth Davies respectively, have previously echoed Mr Paterson’s concerns about a lack of input available to some residents should a virtual inquiry go ahead.

Following the news that residents without Internet can follow the inquiry at the community centre, Gareth Davies said: “The very fact that the public inquiry is being held virtually in Level Zero COVID restrictions is frustrating as it jeopardises the public element to the inquiry, and the opportunity for many Meliden residents to have their say on such an important planning application that has provoked a lot of passion and emotion over the past four years."

Mr Paterson added: “I am extremely disappointed that DCC were so late in deciding to use Meliden Community Centre as a venue for those without internet to follow the inquiry.

“The council have been aware that this is happening for the last for six months; why has this facility been left until the last week?”

“Overall, I am extremely annoyed that we are where we are, but I am accepting of the fact, and I will watch with great interest to ensure that DCC’s barrister, planning, drainage, highways and landscape specialists who have supposedly been preparing to defend the council’s decision, in liaison with our local councillor Peter Evans, for many months including the producing detailed statements and supporting technical evidence, actually is as effective as they can be.”

In response to these comments, a DCC spokesperson said: “We had been keen to ensure this planning appeal was run as a live public inquiry and had previously communicated with PEDW on this matter.

"Due to the ongoing COVID restrictions up to January 28, 2022, a virtual inquiry had to be progressed.

“We have made sure that provision is ready for the public to be able to attend Meliden Community Centre, Ffordd Talargoch, to view the proceedings on a screen in time for the March 1 start of the virtual inquiry.

"Information is also being attached to all site notices to inform residents of the provision this week.”

Mr Paterson is also opposed to Penrhyn Homes’ proposal itself, believing that the site in question is susceptible to flooding and as such is unsuitable for this development.

He told the Journal last week: “I’ve been against it right from the outset. I was against it when it was put onto the (DCC) Local Development Plan (LDP).

“It’s building on a green field which was previously a marquee garden. The land was sold as a farm. With it being at the bottom of a slope, there’s an amount of water runoff.

“We suffer with it; when I first came to live here 17 or 18 years ago, the bottom of the road where I live used to flood on a regular basis, to the point that we couldn’t get to the car a couple of times.

“The reason it was doing that was that a street drain, when it went into that field, had been blocked, so it was causing flooding on the road.

“When it went forward for the LDP, everybody didn’t want it to be included. It was only the (Planning) Inspectorate (now PEDW) who pushed it through to say it should be.

“I feel it’s always been pushed through by other people, whereas those who live in the area and will be around it on a daily basis don’t want it.”

If you wish to observe or take an active part in the inquiry, please register your interest to PEDW.Casework@gov.wales.

If actively participating, please state your preference of Welsh or English.