A HOUSING plan in its early stages earmarked for a site near a day and residential special school has been met with opposition from residents.

The proposal, for 49 new homes, 35 per cent of which will be affordable, has been put forward for land at the corner of Bodafon Road and Nant-y-Gamar Road, Craig Y Don, Llandudno - South of Ysgol y Gogarth.

Anwyl Homes is behind the development.

A closed Facebook group Nant Y Gamar, which started off public, has already attracted 189 members.

Residents have raised concern that the scheme would cause a ‘nightmare traffic situation’.

One concerned campaigner said cars already have no choice but to park on the road and the problem is ‘exacerbated’ by inadequate carpark at the school meaning staff have to park their vehicles on roads such as Nant-Y-Gamar and Roumania Drive.

Members of Llandudno Town Council will meet with Anwyl Homes to discuss the proposed development during their virtual Extraordinary Planning and Transportation meeting tonight (Wednesday, April 21).

Phil Dolan, managing director for Flintshire-based Anwyl Homes Cheshire and North Wales, said: “We have started our pre-application consultation prior to submitting a planning application hopefully in late May.

“Feedback received during this consultation period will help shape the final detail.

“Our current proposal is for 49 new homes - 35 per cent of which would be affordable homes in accordance with Conwy County Borough Council’s affordable housing policy.

“We are consulting with neighbours, stakeholders and statutory bodies, including a virtual meeting with Llandudno Town Council this week.

“The proposed new homes offer a mix from one to five-bedroom designs and have been sensitively designed to reflect the prominent nature of the site and its features.

“The land is already allocated as a housing contingency site in the adopted Local Plan and Anwyl is bringing forward development of the land in accordance with Council policy.”

Anwyl has recently completed developments in Rhuddlan and Rhyl, and has launched a second phase of Tyddyn Bach, in Holyhead. The housebuilder will also commence its recently consented site at Glyn Farm, Colwyn Bay, in May.

Resident Geoffrey Stone, who lives opposite the school, said: “The land involved has been designated planning contingency land and whilst it is accepted that there is a need for new housing the number of dwellings proposed raises concerns about the impact on the infrastructure and the detrimental effect of the extra traffic generated by the development on access roads.

“The consultation document acknowledges that the number of vehicles owned by potential residents of the development, the access road for which would exit onto Nant-y-Gamar Road, could be more than 70 and that there would be additional traffic movements caused by delivery vehicles.

“Nant-y-Gamar Road is a residential road not a main road, bounded by residential properties on the West side from Victoria Avenue to the junction with Tan-y-Bryn Road and on the East side by residential properties, Bodafon fields and the grounds and entrances of the school. Some of the residential properties do not have off-street parking and others have restricted off-street parking. Residents are forced to park on the road thus reducing Nant-y-Gamar Road to a single carriageway in several locations.

"Due to the schools wide catchment area many pupils are transported via minibus to and from the school, the minibuses on occasion queuing on and blocking Nant y Gamar Road before gaining access to the school grounds. Because of minibuses offloading children at the school doors, parents are forced to park outside the school on Nant-y-Gamar Road whilst delivering or collecting their children.

"Some of the children are physically handicapped and parents need to unload wheelchairs or walking aids and accompany their children to the school doors, resulting in waiting time longer than a normal [school drop off/pick up], causing the junction with Roumania Drive to become seriously congested. It is understood that the school is planning to increase capacity - more pupils and staff will only add to the current parking shortfall," Mr Stone added.

"The other roads leading off Nant y Gamar Road are all residential with on street residential parking which reduces, apart from Mostyn Avenue, all to single carriageways, delivery vehicles and refuse collection vehicles thereby causing a complete blockage.

"The extra traffic arising from the development will pose a significant risk in terms of safety, congestion, and pollution in a residential area and outside a special needs school."

Mr Stone believes the proposed number of dwellings needs to be ‘substantially cut’.