RESIDENTS are up in arms over plans to convert farm buildings at a Denbighshire beauty spot into residential care homes for boys.


The buildings - Pant Glas Uchaf, at Bontuchel, Ruthin, range of finished and unfinished converted farm dwellings.
 

Caretech Holdings wants to buy the farm buildings for accommodating young males that have 'complex emotional behaviour', many need one to one, 24 hour care.
 

But the plans have been met by horror from residents who say that Bontuchel is 'too isolated and vulnerable' to accommodate the build.
 

"As you can imagine we are deeply concerned that this should be passed without much consideration or public consultation due to the nature of the business that will be conducted there," said a Bontuchel resident, who did not wish to be named.


"In their own words they will be looking after young males who have very complex and emotional needs.
 

"We are a very rural community, widespread and isolated which makes us vulnerable in difficult situations."


She said the planning consultants are asking Denbighshire Planning Department to issue them with a certificate of lawful development for proposed use of the buildings.
 

"If they are granted the certificate they do not need to apply for change of use and will be free to convert the property to a residential care home for extremely high risk young males," said the resident.


"Denbighshire County Council make a great deal of money from looking after residents from other counties, particularly those over the border in England.


"Wales seems quite happy to accommodate these undesirables at any cost.


"However my family's lifestyle will be totally altered should this residential home go ahead."
 

The resident said if the plans went ahead it would not just effect those living nearby.


"The bottom boundary leads onto Lady Bagot’s Drive which is a well known and well used countryside walk," said the resident.
 

"There is also a public footpath across part of the land being sold with the property.


"There are many groups of ramblers that walk past the property.
 

"Surely any type of high security will have a detrimental affect on tourism in the area."


A spokeswoman for Denbighshire County Council said: "An application has been made to Denbighshire's planning department for a Certificate of Lawful Development to certify that residential units can be used to accommodate young males with complex care needs.


"This is different to a planning application in that it is a legal assessment as to whether the buildings can be lawfully used for a purpose without the need to apply for planning permission.
 

"As such, there is not a requirement in law on the local Planning Authority to consult in the normal manner as we are not assessing impact on highways or impact on neighbours for example.
 

"We can only certify lawfulness or not and this relies upon input from our legal department who would use case law to interpret whether the use proposed would be lawful.
 

"Councillor Paul Marfleet has been contacted by a number of residents and will be arranging a public meeting in the near future in order to discuss the issues and concerns surrounding this application with residents," she added.
 

At the time of going to press Caretech Holdings was unavailable for comment.