Plan for Llangollen tourist development goes out to consultation

* A computer-generated image of how one of the Eirianfa houses would look.

Nearby residents have been asked for their views on a plan to build 22 two-bedroom “eco homes’ for tourist accommodation on land off Berwyn Street in Llangollen.

The developers, who have put out the scheme to local consultation ahead of submitting a formal planning application to the county council, claim the proposed new Eirianfa Country Park, beside the river and close to the closed-down White Water Hotel, would attract up to 4,500 visitors a year and pump over £1m into the local economy.

The plan by Ledbury-based Herefordshire Dwellings Ltd, is to use the site of what they describe as a “failed” leisure development in the same location for their development.

* A plan of the site with Berwyn Street on the left.

 

They say the scheme will provide high quality, sustainable and premium accommodation, with the houses clad in black stained larch to match the neighbouring landscape.

 

Emphasising the development’s “green” credentials a design brief made available as part of the consultation process says the properties will feature thick insulation, air source heat pumps and solar arrays with battery back-up to reduce electricity use. A waste treatment and septic tank system would also be installed.

 

The developers add that the site layout, with enhancements to existing trees and planting on site, aims to ensure “minimal” impact of the scheme from Berwyn Street and from the towpath across the river.

 

The houses would be assembled off-site using a modular method to cut construction time from 18 to nine months.

 

The design brief claims £1.46m would be spent with local contractors during the scheme with the creation of 26 part and full-time jobs. Once under management seven part and full-time jobs would be created to run the site long term.  

 

The developers also claim the finished scheme, which would come with parking, would bring 4,500 visitors a year into Llangollen and they estimate that £1.144m would be spent with local businesses.    

 

In a letter to people living around the site, who have until December 20 to let the developers know their views on the plan, Andrew Brundan of Herefordshire Dwellings Ltd says: “We are a relatively young pair of developers who hope to create jobs in the town and boost the local economy by attracting tourists to the area with high-quality self-catering accommodation.

 

“We feel  the scheme is well designed to blend into the beautiful valley in which it sits.”   

 

* The design brief can be seen at: EIRIANFA