Decision on £20m Coleg Menai expansion put on hold

Councillors have refused to make a decision on £20m plans to expand a college campus and build more than 150 new homes, just days before they face re-election.

At this afternoon’s meeting of Anglesey Council’s planning committee, members were asked by officers to approve outline plans for 153 new homes, a 60 bedroom hotel and restaurant, which would be used to train catering staff for businesses across the island.

The application also includes full permission for a new engineering centre, car park and children’s play area near Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus.

According to college bosses, the project’s construction phase alone would create around 80 full-time jobs with the new engineering centre, hotel, restaurant and cafe creating another 34 full-time permanent roles.

But councillors were angry they were being asked to discuss such contentious plans just over a week before voters on the island go to the polls to select their county councillors for the next four years.

Cllr Will Betws Hughes questioned why proposals for a solar farm near Cemaes, generating enough electricity to power half of Anglesey’s homes, was being deferred for that very reason, while members were expected to discuss the plans in Llangefni.

In response, planning officer Nia Jones said: “We believe the proposals in Llangefni are relatively straightforward, while we accept the contentious nature of the solar farm which would be the largest in Wales.”

But Nicola Roberts, whose ward includes Llangefni, said: “Ideally I don’t want to pass on the burden of having to make a decision onto the next planning committee, but I do strongly feel this is an unusual application and has the potential to be contentious.”

Cllr Hughes went on to say: “I feel strongly about this. This is an application including many differing developments.”

Following consultation, committee chair Ann Griffith passed the decision on to members who voted by five votes to three to defer the matter, despite Cllr Victor Hughes’ proposal it should be discussed this afternoon as planned.

Its expected the plans will now be discussed at the next planning committee meeting, after the local elections, on June 14.