Part of farm where council evicted tenant could be used for log processing business

Part of a former tenant farm on the outskirts of Wrexham could be used to house a log processing business.

In 2016, Wrexham Council took a farmer to court in order to evict him from Woodlands Farm in Bronington.

Paul Martin said he was left devastated after being asked to leave his home of more than a decade.

The authority has previously discussed the possibility of using the land for a solar energy project.

However, an application has now been entered to convert a Dutch barn on the site into a premises to create firewood.
Plans to extend the building have been backed for approval by planning officers in Wrexham.

In a report, Lawrence Isted, head of environment and planning said: “The land was formerly a tenanted council farm but was allowed to deteriorate such that the buildings, farmhouse and yards are in an advanced state of disrepair.
“The applicants are proposing to use part of the existing farm premises as a firewood processing business with a modest extension to the Dutch barn.

“The owners will live in the existing farmhouse and relocate the log processing business to Woodlands Farm.

“The business consists of purchasing locally sourced sustainable timber and using an electric processor to cut and split imported timber into logs ready for the wood stove market.”

The business would mainly employ the couple behind the application, who are named as Mr and Mrs Roberts, and their son.

The planning document states that they would occasionally take on two more staff members on a freelance basis

The new building will be used for log storage ready for distribution.
The proposals have been backed for approval despite objections from five neighbouring residents.

Their concerns include the potential impact of noise and extra traffic generated by the property.
In response, Mr Isted said: “Whilst I appreciate concerns raised by residents living in the area, the design and access statement indicates that overall vehicle movements at the site will be less than that previously experienced by the existing farm.

“It is stated that the dairy farm had daily milk tanker collections, feed lorries and daily on-site tractor movements.
“With regard to the current proposal it is stated that raw timber to the site will normally be by a 26-ton lorry, averaging six deliveries per month.

“The council’s public protection department have requested a planning condition to ensure noise generated by the proposal does not exceed the pre-existing background level by more than five A-weighted decibels at any time.”
The plans will be discussed by members of Wrexham Council’s planning committee on Monday 7 January.

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