PLANS to build homes on the 'eyesore' site of a former garden centre have been refused.

A planning application submitted to Flintshire Council in 2016 requested outline permission for a residential development consisting of 14 homes on the site of the former Spectrum Home and Garden Centre in Wrexham Road, Cefn-y-Bedd.

The council's planning committee gave conditional approval for the proposals in July last year, but just a few months later the plans were called in by the Welsh Government and an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate began.

It has now been confirmed that Lesley Griffiths AM - cabinet secretary for energy, planning and rural affairs - has refused the scheme.

Writing to explain the decision to Blueprint Architectural Services Limited, she states: "The main consideration in this case is whether the proposed development would be in an appropriate location with regard to the likelihood of flooding, taking into account national and development plan policy on the matter.

"The inspector notes mitigation by way of raising the development platform levels of dwelling by providing an emergency access/egress point.

"However the application site is nearly all within a C2 flood zone and the residential development proposed is classed as highly vulnerable.

"Whilst development of the site for beneficial use would improve the appearance of the wider area and provide housing, including affordable units, the inspector considers this does not outweigh the significant harm resulting from locating highly vulnerable development in a flood zone."

According to a design and access statement the site is currently disused since the closure of the garden centre.

The document explained the plan would have seen the construction of 'sympathetic' homes which would have enhanced the site's characteristics.

In addition, the developer said the scheme would have enhanced the 'highway safety of the area'.