Inspectors asked to weigh up economic benefits of Wrexham chicken processing factory plans

Inspectors have been asked to weigh up the economic benefits of plans for a chicken processing factory in Wrexham.

It follows an appeal being launched after the local planning authority refused permission for Armon Limited to create a new plant at the Five Crosses Industrial Estate in Minera.

The company has an existing doner meat manufacturing facility on the estate and has made two attempts to open a new site to process poultry next door.

However, the scheme was knocked back by Wrexham Council on both occasions amid concerns about the scale of the development and potential access issues.

The family behind the business, who are said to have founded one of the first kebab takeaways in North Wales during the 1980s, have now appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in a bid to have the decision overturned.

An agent acting on behalf of the firm said the proposals would help it to develop and safeguard six out of nine jobs which are set to be lost at the doner meat factory as a result of modernisation plans.

In an appeal statement, Huw Evans said: “Armon is an expanding and progressive meat processing company seeking to maximise their facilities’ capabilities and grow new business.

“Future flexibility is an important factor in maintaining efficiency and competitiveness hence the need to be able to respond to changing market conditions and production methods.

“The company is currently undergoing significant investment in innovative production equipment to ensure that the business maintains its competitive edge.

“A more mechanised process together with technological advances will result in the loss of nine jobs within the current accommodation.

“Armon is seeking to redress the loss of the jobs to some degree by further investment in the proposed new building which will result in the creation of six new jobs.”

Outlining their reasons for refusing the scheme, council planning officers said the proposed building would represent “overdevelopment”, creating potential problems for neighbouring businesses.

They said the company had not shown how vehicles would be able to access the site adequately from several unadopted roads on the estate.

But Mr Evans refuted the comments by the local authority, highlighting the range of different buildings which make up the industrial estate, which he said had been developed in a “piecemeal” manner over the years.

In relation to the concerns about access arrangements, he said: “The applicant, through submissions, has clearly demonstrated that there is sufficient provision for vehicular access.

“There is the clear opportunity for circulation of traffic in and out of the site.

“Access to the building is not derived from the lower road which is where planning authority has expressed concern.”

The appeal will be considered by inspectors at a later date.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter