Bungalow at The Dell Prestatyn demolished six years on

Denbighshire County Council purchased the property on The Dell in Prestatyn back in 2017. It has stood empty all this time. 

The local authority said the demolition of the bungalow signals the start of the development to build 15 council apartments for social rent at The Dell. Construction was supposed to 2021 but the contractor went into administration.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Denbighshire County Council is delighted that work on land off The Dell in Prestatyn to provide new council homes has started. There was some delay in the works after the contractor, appointed to lead on the development, went into administration.

"The initial stage involves the demolition of a bungalow to provide access to the site. This work is expected to be completed by November 17.

"Whilst it’s always sad to see buildings being demolished, these works clear the way to develop 15 homes, which already have planning permission, for the local community."

Artist impress of The Dell development. Proposed development of 15 unit Residential Apartment block (Image: Denbighshire County Council)
The Dell is designed for people with limited mobility. There will be five one or two bedroom apartments specifically designed for wheelchair users on the ground floor and 10 one / two bedroom apartments on the first/second floor.

There will be a parking space for each apartment on site and three spaces for visitors in total.

Former Prestatyn councillor Paul Penlington, who has been selected as Plaid Cymru's Parliamentary Candidate for Clwyd East, said residents have been left in the dark about the development at The Dell.

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He said: "Denbighshire County Council purchased number one at The Dell six years ago intending to demolish it to create access for a large development at the rear.

"The council have kept residents in the dark about this development for several years. 

"I made enquiries with them recently asking for an update and was informed the contractor appointed to undertake the redevelopment entered administration earlier this year. However, they still went ahead and demolished the bungalow at the bungalow at 1, The Dell, on November 6. If I hadn't asked, the residents of The Dell would not have known. 

"The bungalow was in excellent condition and immediately habitable but the council have allowed it to stand empty for six years and have flattened it just to maintain planning permission with no contractor or timescale for the full development. 

"To date they have spent well over £25,0000 of public money on this scheme, a scheme residents told them was unfeasible due to the fact the land floods and has no access to drainage," Mr Penlington added.

"I understand Denbighshire County Council are still working on the actual plans as they have no idea what to do about drainage.

"The new council leader, cllr Jason McLellan, claimed he was going to make 'housing his priority' whilst the bungalow continued to stand empty. 

"A development has failed and tax payers money is again wasted on schemes residents argued against but were ignored. 

"There is still no timescale for this development, in a town with around a thousand people on the housing list. It is shockingly disingenuous to demolish a home that could have housed a local family and could continue to do so quite possibly for several more years yet.  

"I wrote to DCC several weeks ago expressing my concern but am still waiting for a response."