Angry residents slam council for ‘dangerous’ Rhyl housing development

John Summers lives on Avondale Drive, where he has been a resident for more than 20 years, but labelled the new development, and the way in which it was carried out, “diabolical”.

He and other residents feel that the addition of two new houses will cause additional traffic and noise in the area, as well as increase the risk of potential hazards, particularly at an adjacent T-junction.

Mr Summers also said that the council had failed to consult him and his neighbours properly on the matter before the new homes were built.

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The new homes on Avondale Drive, Rhyl (Image: Cllr Brian Jones)

“Myself and (fellow Avondale Drive resident) Cliff Howes think this is Rhyl’s ‘Watergate’,” he said.

“There are so many unanswered questions about the safety of the lane, the legal right to enter the lane, and missing planning letters.

“All we ask is that a Highways officer shows justification for how they identify that it is safe.

“Where, for instance, will guests park their cars when visiting these additional homes? What happens if the emergency services attend? If parked cars are blocking or restricting the traffic circle, how can one access a property?

“If the visitors go to the top of the road and park on Dyserth Road, this will cause more hazards as it will block the visibility of approaching traffic for anyone that is emerging from Avondale Drive. 

“The planning committee has destroyed an example of a de facto 1930 cul-de-sac because of some builders' desire to profit from the building of these houses and who will not be residents of Avondale Drive.”

An initial application was lodged in 2019 to demolish one of the homes on Avondale Drive and build two new houses.

Rhyl Town Council objected to this due to fears that it would cause an “over-intensification of the site”, and create “highway issues on an unadopted narrow road”.

Then, in 2021, a revised application was made, with the plans no longer involving demolition of any homes – Rhyl Town Council made no objection to this.

Though the two new houses have been built, it is understood that nobody is living in them as yet.

Mr Summers believes the “passing lane” which the council has also created on the road is “not fit for purpose”.

He added: “What's happened to us is absolutely diabolical. We never got sent any letters from the council about the revised plans.

“One of the houses being built was dependent on a passing lane being built, but that’s not fit for purpose. It will barely fit two cars.

“If you're driving a van into the line, you've nowhere to go but to reverse on to the B5119, which causes so much hassle for everybody, and is very, very dangerous at times.

“You're going to have an accident. We use the lane, and it's dangerous. We don't want the council to say it's safe, we want them to tell us why it's safe.

“This was a nice little leafy cul-de-sac. Don't destroy something of beauty just for a couple of new houses.”

Cliff Howes, another Avondale Drive resident, described Rhyl Town Council’s decision not to object to the revised application, having raised concerns about the initial plans, as “very strange”.

He also said little consultation was made between the county council and residents.

Mr Howes said: “We, as residents, never received letters informing us of this revised application. Rhyl Town Council did not object, even though there is one more property; it is very strange.

“This building work has been going on for over four years, as they are being built in the builders’ spare time, i.e. evenings and weekends.

“Various breaches of planning conditions have been broken and highlighted to the council; one acted upon, two others not. I have chased, but received no answer.”

The new homes on Avondale Drive, Rhyl (Image: Cllr Brian Jones)

Cllr Brian Jones, who also lives on Avondale Drive, echoed concerns about safety.

He was a member of the county council’s planning committee when the initial 2019 application was lodge, but abstained from voting on it.

“When you're at the top of the lane looking left, it's a totally blind picture that you're looking at,” he said.

“You've got the traffic coming off ‘Dizzy Bends’, which is a notoriously difficult road anyway.

“Because it’s a blind T-junction, you've got pedestrians that come along the path, and children on bikes, so that's a danger as well.

“There'll be more traffic leaving the lane now at a dangerous T-junction, so you're increasing the risk of something happening.

“The lane itself is single-track, and this passing lane is a token gesture, really. It's alright if it's two Minis trying to get past each other, but not if it's anything bigger than that.”

Gareth Davies, MS for Vale of Clwyd, said he has worked closely with Cllr Jones and Avondale Drive residents on this matter for the last two years, and shares their concerns.

Mr Davies said: “The T-junction to the end of the lane is an accident waiting to happen as the traffic coming from the left-hand side of Dyserth Road isn’t visible.

“Residents are taking a leap of faith when exiting the lane onto the main road.

“With recent expansions of the Aberkinsey Estate and surrounding areas in recent years, and the planned bungalows being erected, I feel this will only compound the matter and make the danger worse unless Denbighshire County Council take the adequate leadership to improve the road layout of the local area to adapt to the changing needs of the town.

“The area has seen significant housing development over the last 30 years, but the road layout hasn’t changed since the days of horse and cart.

“It’s time for significant investment from Denbighshire County Council and Welsh Government to improve our local transport links and keep our communities connected.”

James Davies, Vale of Clwyd MP, added: "I have been contacted by two residents of Avondale Drive who have raised significant concerns relating to the planning process for building works taking place on neighbouring land.

"Having visited Avondale Drive on a number of occasions, I understand their concerns. The road access is particularly narrow and is concealed.

"I have made representations on their behalf to the county council and am pleased that the council is investigating certain elements of their complaint.

"I am told that the residents will be pursuing legal action to ensure the matter is adequately addressed."

A representative of Denbighshire County Council’s Highways department stated, regarding the approved 2021 application: “The proposals include a passing place along the unadopted lane to the site, which I believe is of benefit for the increase in traffic that will arise from the development.   

“I therefore do not foresee any highway safety issues arising from the proposals and have no objection.”

A spokesperson for Rhyl Town Council added: “The town council’s planning committee determines its recommendation for each application based on the submitted plans before it.

“It is for the individual members of the town council planning committee to assess each application and then determine whether or not to raise an objection to it.

“In respect of the 2019 application, the committee objected on the basis of the development constituting over intensification of the site and potential highway issues on the narrow unadopted access road. 

“I understand that this application was subsequently approved by the local planning authority.

The subsequent planning applications would have been similarly considered by the town council but at that time, no member raised any objections to the revised plans.”