Deputy council leader ‘totally and utterly opposed’ to Lavister housing plans

The deputy leader of Wrexham Council has voiced strong opposition against plans for around 80 new homes in his ward.

Conservative group leader Cllr Hugh Jones has spoken out after developers launched a consultation on proposals to build up to 77 houses on Chester Road in Lavister, near Rossett.

The former golf course site was not included in Wrexham’s Local Development Plan (LDP) because of concerns over flooding and the loss of agricultural land.

Cllr Jones said it would have a ‘significant impact’ on the green barrier between Wrexham and the Cheshire border if approval was granted.

He said: “I am totally and utterly opposed to these plans, it is an inappropriate development.

“I am challenging our officers because in their statement, the developers have said that they were given the impression it was supported by Wrexham Council officers.

“I’ve challenged officers as to where this statement came from as no application has been submitted.

“They’ve obviously had some pre-planning advice, but at the end of the day it’s a site that fails selection so I can’t see how it can have any support.”

The proposals include an allocation of 25 per cent for affordable housing.

In the consultation documents, Galliers Homes Ltd claimed any issues highlighted by the LDP process could be addressed.

The Shrewsbury-based company said: “The proposal for the land off Chester Road is to create a new development of high quality family housing with an appropriate amount of affordable housing all of which will be in a desirable place to live.

“Lavister benefits from local services and public transport connections and is ideally placed to deliver future sustainable growth that is well planned and located.

“In this case, the site was part of a former golf course, which was landscaped by dense, mature, planting and there is presence of significant tree roots which impact on the potential agricultural use of the site.

“Overall, it is demonstrated that the site can be developed safely, without exposing the new development to an unacceptable degree of flood risk and ensuring no increase in flood risk off-site.”

Because of the size of the development, Galliers is required to carry out a consultation before entering a formal planning application to Wrexham Council.

Anyone who wants to comment on the proposals has been asked to write to planning agent Chloë Clark, at Savills, Embassy House, Queens Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1SB or via e-mail at [email protected]

All representations must be received by 7 January 2018.

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

*Picture: Planning document