A controversial housing scheme, deferred in March over concerns about drainage, affordable housing and highway access has been passed.

The 107-home development, on land allocated to the Local Development Plan (LDP) at Llanrwst Road (A470)/Top Llan Road in Glan Conwy, would see 65 per cent of the scheme’s properties being four-bed homes, with 32 affordable houses.

It came back before Conwy county council’s planning committee this week after applicant Calon Homes had to satisfy Welsh Government over traffic concerns on the A470 and address a host of other issues from the original proposals.

Calon Homes is a collaboration between Brenig Construction and Cartrefi Conwy.

The development has been the subject of objections from locals who voiced a variety of concerns about the plans.

Rhian Roberts was one of the 17 objectors and spoke against the proposals at the meeting.

She said planning was in a different place from March after Welsh Government had published new policy in July.

Mrs Roberts told committee members: “It puts place-making at the heart of future development and says poorly designed housing does not give a sense of place to future residents.

“Approval of planning should not be a tick box. Social housing is conspicuous by design and 65% of homes will be four-bedroom market-value properties.

“People need high quality green space and this development rips up hedgerows.”

Speaking for the development Brenig Construction director Howard Vaughan, said he believed officers had “confirmed any statutory items had been addressed”.

He added: “We have reduced the numbers (from 111 homes), recalibrated the housing mix and made sure affordable tenure is indistinguishable.

“Quality levels of play spaces and green spaces have been added and there are significant highway enhancements that will make the A470 safer.”

Mr Vaughan said the company was also making an “additional commuted sum contribution” which would help the community.

“This development will be making a significant and real contribution to community recovery and social cohesion,” he said.

A 40mph buffer zone will be introduced between the 30mph zone and the national speed limit area on the A470 to help traffic leaving and entering the site, after concerns were raised by officers.

There will also be a permanent closure of the Top Llan Road/A470 junction, and provision of traffic calming features including gateway and speed humps.

Cllr Dave Rees, who represents Llansanffraid ward where the development will take place, wanted assurances about site traffic.

He said: “There’s a massive traffic flow problem in the village. Will the entrance to the site be done first so that traffic doesn’t go down Church Street or Top Llan Road and goes straight onto the site?”

Planning officer Dave Watson said Welsh Government had imposed a condition that the development should not start until access from the A470 had been completed.

He added a restriction meaning all site traffic had to go through that entrance and not through the village could be added as a condition to the construction method statement.

Cllr Rees added: “It’s vitally important that the construction traffic delivers everything from the A470 straight to the site.”

Mr Watson said he was also confident reserved issues over sewerage and drainage from the site could also be resolved with the applicant.

He added: “If they can’t be resolved we can refuse the application.”

Glan Conwy town councillors objected to the proposals on several grounds including a lack capacity in GP services, not enough spaces at the local school (which only has 18 spare places) and traffic issues.

However councillors voted by 11 vote to one, with one abstention, to approve the development and allow officers to resolve all outstanding matters under delegated authority.