Demolition of Former Goulbourne Pub Approved to Make Way For Housing

A former pub in Wrexham is to be demolished to make way for a housing development.

Plans to demolish the Goulbourne Pub on Borras Park Road and use the site to develop eight houses were approved by members of Wrexham’s Planning Committee last Friday.

It was the second time the application had gone before councillors, with the committee previously putting the decision on hold until a site visit to evaluate the amount of shade a tree could cast on a future garden, had taken place.

The pub, which had been a well-known part of the Borras community for many years closed its doors for good in September 2015. Since then the site has remained disused and vacant.

Earlier this month Wrexham.com reported that the application had been recommended for refusal due to an ‘arboricultural concern’ regarding the proposed layout of two dwellings and their proximity to two valued oak trees located along the western boundary of the site.

The two plots are described as being within ‘close proximity’ of the two trees – both of which are subject to a Tree Protection Order (TPO). As a result both the proposed dwellings are seen to be affected by the ‘overall size and dominance of the two trees along with further issues of excessive shading, encroachment and increased maintenance’.

In a meeting after the site visit, councillors again clashed over whether or not the plans should be approved.

Cllr Paul Pemberton stated that whoever moves into the property will be ‘totally aware of what they are letting themselves in for’ and that the committee is ‘preempting what is going to happen in the future’.

However Cllr Ronnie Prince said he would support the officer’s recommendation to refuse the application. He added: “To be clear I am supporting a housing development on this site. I think there is no other option, the pub is not a viable concern anymore.

“I think every housing development has to harmonise with the natural environment in that area. This development, we are not talking about it being altered substantially, just a slight alteration to take into consideration the Tree Protection Order on the tree.”

The application had initially been recommended for refusal. However a vote on the plans saw a tie of seven councillors in favour of refusing the application and seven against. The casting vote went to Chairman of the committee, Cllr Morris, who noted he was opposed to the initial recommendation to refuse the application and would therefore vote against it.

A substantive motion to approve the application also saw seven councillors vote in favour and seven vote against. Again the casting vote went to Cllr Morris, who voted in favour of approving the application – meaning the demolition of the pub and housing development will go ahead.