A controversial planned housing development on the edge of Snowdonia National Park is to be reduced in size.

The plan for 93 homes at Parc Sychnant in Conwy was denied planning permission by councillors two years ago, against the recommendation of officers.

But an appeal by Beech Developments Limited, who want to build the houses on land west of Sychnant Pass Road, was successful, with government inspectors overturning the councillors’ decision.

A reserved matters application giving more detail to the plans was approved by Conwy’s planning committee on Wednesday.

The plans will now see 83 homes built instead of the original 93, as well as giving more detail on footpaths and the landscape of the development.

The plans came before this month’s meeting after being deferred in March to allow the developer to submit amended proposals to address the outstanding matters relating to highways, landscaping and play areas.

Local people opposed to the plans had raised concerns about the scale of the development, traffic congestion and the perceived lack of open spaces included.

Speaking before the meeting, Conwy councillor Emma Leighton-Jones said: “I am happy to see the reduction in the number of houses at this site.

“However, I echo the view of residents that developers will still struggle to provide enough open spaces despite the reduction.”

Addressing the committee, Phil Widdall spoke on behalf of the Parc and Llys Sychnant Residents Group against the plans.

He said: “Photo montage representations of the development were provided for the enquiry but not with this application to show the impacts of the significant revisions to the layout.

“Our concerns regarding the over dominance  of two storey dwellings at virtually the highest point of the site have never been addressed.

“This application – opposed throughout by this committee – is too important to be delegated to the officers.

“It must remain with this committee so this is dealt with in an open and democratic manner.”

Matt Gilbert, an agent acting on behalf of Beech Development Limited, said: “The applicant has met on several occasions with the residents association and individual residents and have tried at all times to accommodate within reason their requirements, and that included a meeting last week.

“The application was deferred from last month’s meeting for further responses in relation to ecology and highways.

“Those are the issues on which we’ve been working with officers since then.  

“It seems to me that the committee now has the information that it felt it needed at the last meeting and highways and ecology are no longer raising any significant issues.

“There is a significant need for residential housing within this district.”