Appeal lodged in bid to overturn refusal of Rossett housing development plans

An appeal has been launched in a bid to overturn the refusal of plans for five new homes in a village on the outskirts of Wrexham.

An application was entered earlier this year for the construction of houses at Lower Honkley Farm in Rossett.

However, it was turned down by Wrexham Council in June because the proposed development sits within green barrier land and would detract from the character of the grade II listed farmhouse.

Nigel Darlington, who is behind the plans, has now put in an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate as he said the increase in the housing land would outweigh any harm caused by them.

In an appeal form prepared on his behalf by consultants Geraint John Planning, they said: “Lower Honkley Farm was previously derelict but has been extensively restored and refurbished by the applicant.

“The re-development of the site will have social and economic benefits through providing an additional level of housing and boosting the housing land supply.

“Although the site lies within the green barrier, the site is located at the edge of the green barrier and is not near any adjoining settlements.

“As such, it is the appellant’s position that the material benefits from the reuse of a brownfield site to provide additional housing would outweigh any conflict.

“The proposed development would significantly enhance the setting of the listed Lower Honkley Farmhouse and general views of the countryside in and around the site.”

The site used to be home to the Lower Honkley Engineering and Marine works, which was established in the 1950s until the business went bankrupt in the late 1990s.

The industrial buildings associated with the works were demolished after permission was approved for a smaller scale development in 2005.

Each of the proposed houses would have three-bedrooms with loft accommodation on the first floor.

In its refusal notice, Wrexham Council said: “The site is located outside settlement limit as defined in the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan and within a green barrier.

“The development by virtue of its scale and appearance will detract from the setting of Lower Honkley Farm, a grade II listed building, and the rural character of the site and its immediate locality.”

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme).