‘Market Testing’ For Sale of Former Bryn Estyn Care Home to Begin

The Erlas Centre in Wrexham – formerly known as Bryn Estyn is to be ‘soft market’ tested to discover if the property can be sold off.

Members of Wrexham’s Executive Board have unanimously passed proposals to begin ‘soft market testing’ for the property, which is located on Bryn Estyn Road.

If no buyer is found for the property, then it could face demolition, or any buyer could level the site.

The plans are taking place due to the Council’s Office Accommodation Strategy which aims to make ‘more efficient use of town centre office accommodation and improved office design in order to ensure the Council achieved savings by reducing the number of buildings it rents‘ as well as ‘securing capital receipts through disposing of buildings no longer required‘ of which the Erlas / Bryn Estyn site is one.

In recent years the building has been used as the Erlas Conference and Training Centre, however many of the staff have been relocated to an alternative site. It is hoped all staff will have been relocated by the end of July.

Speaking about the report, Lead Member for Economy – Economic Development and Regeneration, Cllr Neil Rogers told the meeting: “I am asking members for a way forward for the Erlas site – I do recognise the sensitivity associated with the site. Over the last few weeks officers from Operation Pallial have been in touch with former residents.

“You will recall three years ago we agreed a new office strategy in Wrexham and getting best value for the building we operate here. It has to be cost effective, no decision is to be taken today on demolition or any other aspects which have been spoken about in the local media. Also people are working there to provide a service, those involved in the garden project and our adult social services are there. It has to be treated sensitively.”

However concerns were raised regarding the security of the since once it had been vacated and also the reference made to the local development plan in Wrexham, which notes: “There is significant pressure to provide sustainable greenfield developments including new housing sites within the emerging Local Development Plan.”

Cllr Mike Morris said: “We should learn from the example at the Groves School which for many years costs tens of thousands of pounds to secure, if this is going to be a predicted time scale at Erlas could we spend money on security? And given the fact the site does have quite valuable architectural features in it, I think the security would have to be ramped up a bit.”

Referring to comments made in the report about the Local Development Plan, Cllr Morris added: “I think it’s quite unfortunate in a sense that this section has been included in the way it has, mainly because if we are looking to dispose of it, there is the issue of if it needs to be included as part of a wider master plan as part of the Local Development Plan.

“It is going to be a couple of years before it (the LDP) is in place and I would like to point out to the author of the report, whatever the motives are – whether to maximise our own assets, to facilitate a third party developer or if in the interests or wider community, we should not be identifying candidate sites at this time that are listed in Local Development Plan.

“Any members of planning policy knowing planning candidates are sensitive until they are out in the public domain. It is inappropriate to talk about development on that site of Wrexham.”

Cllr David Kelly echoed the comments made by Cllr Morris, adding: “I do think in the report the local development plan paragraphs may lead to a perception that there is an element of pre determination, even though a local development plan is an evolving process?”

The Board was assured that no members had been involved in ‘behind the scenes’ discussions regarding the development of the site.

Cllr Rogers said: “I can assure members here today that I myself have had no meetings with any developers across Wrexham, I won’t do that. If there are things going on behind the scenes I have no part in it, I’ve played no part in it whatsoever.”

The building will now be put out for ‘soft marking testing’, with a full report on the findings due to go before the Executive Board in Autumn 2015.