A developer is expected to appeal to the Welsh Government after planners rejected a bid to change planning conditions at a housing estate where most completed homes remain empty more than two years after going on the market.
The estate at Parc Delfryn in Brynteg, near Benllech, has become known as a "ghost" development despite all 16 properties being fully furnished, completed and ready for occupation. Just two of the homes, built next to Storws Wen golf club, have been sold since they were marketed over two years ago, North Wales Live reported.
Planning condition blamed for slow sales
The developer says sales have been hampered by a planning condition attached when permission was granted in 2007. It requires the three-bedroom houses on the estate to be used only as holiday properties. The restriction did not affect sales during an earlier phase of the development, when 20 homes were completed in 2022.
However, the developer argues that the housing market has changed significantly since then. A shortage of affordable homes for local people, coupled with restrictions on second homes, has altered the climate around housing - especially in north west Wales.
Council refuses to lift restriction
This prompted the developer to request that Anglesey council remove the planning restriction and allow the houses to be sold as residential homes. A planning agent states the applicant and owner Collette Cartwright has indicated she would be willing to accept conditions imposed limiting sales to those with links to the island.
However, planning officers have turned down this application. The refusal notice indicates that the local planning authority remains unconvinced that departing from the adopted development plan is warranted. It also stated that "insufficient information has been received to demonstrate that the proposal will not have a detrimental impact upon the Welsh language". Inadequate parking provision was additionally cited as grounds for refusal.
Developer considering appeal
Simon James, an agent from PLanD, has confirmed that the developer is currently giving "serious consideration" to lodging an appeal with the Welsh Government. They are examining the grounds for refusal and anticipate reaching a decision and possibly submitting an appeal within three to four weeks. That would be directed to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) - part of the Welsh Government.
The homes are currently priced at £250,000 following several price reductions.
Agent Simon James said: "To date the applicant, notwithstanding the extensive efforts expended in seeking to sell the dwellings over two years, has only sold two properties. This in particular has occurred at a time when there is both clear government policy pressure to discourage the creation of holiday homes, in preference to full residential dwellings, and demonstrably, a good level of demand for family homes, itself increased by declining delivery of family homes and a likely rise in demand as both interest rates fall and recently announced significant economic investment in the area."
He added: "There are therefore 14 fully completed, modern family homes ready to be occupied, but which, because of the particular occupancy restriction imposed, are unattractive in the market for the consented, restricted use, even though the price has been reduced quite substantially over time. At the same time, in the view of the marketing agents, the dwellings would have been very attractive in the general housing market as family dwellings. The applicant has turned away at least 37 families who enquired about the potential purchase of the properties as full time family homes, ie, these were not general searches, but specific enquiries made of the properties."
Estate agents Dafydd Hardy and Beresford Adams were asked to compile a report on the marketing history of the site. It concluded: "We have, we believe, demonstrated that a comprehensive, wide-ranging and sustained marketing campaign has been carried out with a very engaged client/owner who has responded to the marketing advice we have given. This has yielded very little positive results and this indicates that the market for second/holiday homes, at the very least in Brynteg, is simply not there at this time. The question therefore is, is it right to leave valuable housing stock lying idle when it can be put to a positive and sustainable use, and meet the acknowledged need of local families seeking attractive and long-term family housing?"
