The developer insists that the plans for new homes is part of a separate scheme in the Welsh seaside town
Proposals for a massive housing estate on the outskirts of a Welsh seaside town were first mooted well over 20 years ago. After a planning battle and pause on work following the credit crunch, work was finally completed on Parc Aberkinsey in Rhyl last summer – or so residents thought.
The developers of Parc Aberkinsey have now submitted plans for new homes just adjacent to the estate, leaving some locals furious. The first residents moved in back in 2011 and over the years around 500 homes were built on 50 acres of land.
Last summer, after 15 years of development, Anwyl declared the project complete as work ended on Phase 5. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
Mathew Anwyl, Anwyl’s housing managing director, described it as marking “the end of an era for us in Rhyl”. He continued: “We’re really proud of the new village we’ve created here and of the benefits we’ve delivered for the wider community.”
However, fresh proposals have now emerged for a housing scheme on land adjoining the estate – referred to in planning documentation as Parc Aberkinsey Phase 6.
The application seeks permission to build 59 properties on land off Ffordd Elsie, in a collaborative venture between Anwyl Partner Projects and Wales and West Housing Association. The scheme comprises entirely affordable housing, which Anwyl said is addressing a need for this type of property in the area, reports North Wales Live.
The proposed tenure split will be 83% social rent (49 dwellings) and 17% low-cost home ownership (10 dwellings).
However, existing Parc Aberkinsey residents are angry and say they’ve been let down. A representative said homeowners purchased their “homes in good faith believing the development had concluded”.
Anwyl confirmed this is a “separate, 100% affordable housing scheme on adjacent land”. They stated that Parc Aberkinsey was completed in 2025 and “no further open-market homes are planned at the site at present”.
A spokesperson representing residents stated: “Parc Aberkinsey already comprises approximately 169 social or intermediate rental properties, meaning around one third of the estate is already social or intermediate housing. Residents feel the estate has reached a size and density that local infrastructure, roads, and services can no longer safely or sustainably support.”
They expressed concerns regarding road safety, noting that Parc Aberkinsey is “already heavily used as a rat run, with hundreds of vehicles cutting through daily to access the Dizzy Bends or Bruton Park”.
They continued: “Speeds are often excessive, and with hundreds of young children living on the estate, this already presents a serious danger. Adding a further 59 homes, all accessed via a single narrow road in and out of the estate, will significantly increase traffic and heighten the risk of serious accidents.
“Environmental concerns are equally alarming. The proposed development site is rich in biodiversity and is home to protected and vulnerable wildlife, including great crested newts, owls, badgers, nesting birds, and other species.”
The spokesperson stated: “Local services are already under extreme pressure. Schools, GP surgeries, dentists, and hospitals in the area are oversubscribed, with no clear plans in place to expand capacity. Residents cannot see how these additional homes could be responsibly supported without worsening an already critical situation.
“Flooding is another major issue. The surrounding area floods regularly, and residents fear that further development, hard landscaping, and changes to drainage will only exacerbate these problems, putting homes and roads at greater risk.”
They argued that the priority locally ought to be returning hundreds of vacant properties across the county to residential use.
They said “many residents feel profoundly let down by Anwyl”.
They continued: “In August 2025, residents were informed that building works were complete, Anwyl’s sales office was closed, and signage was removed. Many people bought their homes in good faith believing the development had concluded. Had the truth been made clear, many would never have purchased from Anwyl. There is a strong feeling that trust has been broken.
“Residents are not opposed to affordable housing, but we strongly believe it must be delivered in the right places, with proper infrastructure, transparency, and respect for both existing communities and the environment.”
In response, Mathew Tudor Owen, land director at Anwyl, said: “The original private sale phases at Parc Aberkinsey were completed in 2025 and no further open-market homes are planned at the site at present.
“The new proposal is for a separate, 100% affordable housing scheme on adjacent land, which, subject to approval, would be delivered for Wales and West Housing Association through Anwyl Partner Projects.
“The plans are being brought forward in response to Denbighshire’s well-documented shortage of affordable housing.
“This proposed development would provide 59 affordable homes, including family houses, bungalows and apartments, as well as a fully adapted home to meet a specific local need identified by the council. These homes will be allocated by the housing association in line with local authority policy.”
As part of this planning consent, Anwyl could make contributions to support local needs, including £191,000 towards primary education, around £64,000 towards public open space and environmental mitigation for protected species.
They said that all homes will be built to modern energy standards, with air source heat pumps and solar panels, helping to reduce running costs and environmental impact.
