Posted: Tue 4th Jul 2017

Historic Mines Rescue Centre Gets Green Light For Revival Project

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Jul 4th, 2017

A building steeped in Wrexham’s mining history is to be given a fresh lease of life which will see its eventual role return to training for the community benefit.

Members of Wrexham’s planning committee yesterday unanimously backed proposals to transform the former Mines Rescue Centre on Maesgwyn Road into two self-contained apartments and seven bedsits for young people facing homelessness or leaving care.

The plans, which have been submitted by local charity the Wrexham Warehouse Project, also include the development of a museum and cafe.

The building opened in 1913 to train men in helping find survivors of mining accidents. The centre closed in the 1980s and was handed to the fire service and subsequently entered private ownership. Most recently it has been a derelict building, almost subject to an illegal demolition in 2010 after its listing.

Since then the building has remained derelict, with the Warehouse Project’s proposals seen as the ‘last chance saloon’ to restore the building.

Concerns had been raised by a small number of local residents about the partial change of use to a ‘HMO’ (House Multiple Occupancy).

However during yesterday’s meeting it was explained that the bedsits will be used to provide accommodation for young people from Wrexham who are ‘either homeless or on their next steps to progressing from care’.

It was also noted that when the young people were in a position to contribute, the money raised through rent would be invested back into the units.

Speaking in support of the application, a representative of the developer said: “The Warehouse Project will use the other facilities, including the cafe and the classrooms as training opportunities for young people in the area who for various reasons are unable to attend the local colleges.

“All of this will be delivered while retaining a section of the building of the museum to the Mines Rescue Centre.”

He added: “By voting in favour of this application you will be bringing a new lease of life to a listed building which has been vacant for over eight years, renovate an eyesore which will be a benefit to all residents on Maesgwyn Road; assist young people who may be homeless without the facility once leaving care and providing training for young people to better themselves in the future.

“It is truly going to be a self-sustaining charity project, please support this worthwhile cause.”

Prior to yesterday’s meeting a Condition 9 – which was imposed in order to ensure that the development would preserve the historic character of the entire building rather than to solely provide residential accommodation – had been recommended.

However at yesterday’s meeting it was explained that as we previously wrote, it had been proposed that the Condition was removed from the recommendation.

Chairman of the committee, Cllr Michaelp Morris called for assurances that the full redevelopment of the building would still take place if the Condition was removed.

He said: “I think the fear by some members is that we will end us with the bedsits, which is plausible and not saying there is a problem with that. But we may end up with that and not the second part of it, if not for many years if at all. That’s the concern and that’s why Condition 9 was put it.”

Cllr Morris continued: “We have seen so many times with things like the Football Club for instance where promises have been made by developers and then it doesn’t materialise, or circumstances change or finance isn’t available or its not viable – and then things don’t happen. Do you have any comments on that?”

The Committee was told that the Warehouse Project’s main goal was to provide the classrooms and cafe, with the accommodation providing ‘the funding’ element of the development. It was also noted that the ‘classrooms and training facility’ are the most important elements, with plans to use the cafe for training purposes along with serving visitors.

Speaking in support of the development, Cllr Paul Pemberton described it as a ‘last chance saloon’ for the building, adding that losing the building would be a ‘tragedy for the whole of Wrexham’.

Cllr Pemberton added that he had spoken to local member for the Brynyffynnon ward, Cllr Phil Wynn prior to the meeting and he had noted that he was ‘quite happy to have Condition 9 removed’.

Cllr Morris pointed out that Cllr Wynn was the ‘same local member which bleats on about the Football Club not having things materialise on their development unfortunately’, having used the Football Club failed ‘gamble’ development as an example of why such conditions are useful to firm up developer assurances.

A vote on the proposed development, without Condition 9, was voted through unanimously by members of the committee.

This weekend Wrexham.com was told that: “Hopefully planning will be given on Monday, and work will start on Tuesday morning and hopefully it will be a very successful project”, so we assume work is underway as you read this!



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