Redevelopment of Wrexham Glyndwr University campus and 300+ new student flats approved amid traffic and parking concerns
Plans for an extensive redevelopment on the Wrexham Glyndwr University campus and the building of more than 300 student flats have been approved.
In one of the longest planning meetings we can remember, over a period of four hours committee members voted to approve a series of applications to develop both the university’s Plas Coch and Regent Street campuses.
A total of nine applications were put before the committee yesterday afternoon / evening, each of which was involved in someway with the Glyndwr ‘Campus 2025’ vision.
The multi-million pound project has been described as a development that will help the university “sustain a viable position within the higher education sector” and attract new students to the area.
Andrew Smith, a planning consultant acting on behalf of the university, said the redevelopment of the Mold Road campus would create a “modern and attractive environment for students”.
Andrew Smith, planning consultant for the university, is outlining the plans for Campus 2025. He says these will create a ‘modern and attractive environment’ for students.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
The plans for the new development will keep the three current access points to the university.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
In terms of the two new student accomodation builds, Mr Smith noted that “student numbers are not going to increase until facilities are improved” and that the one aspect of each application allows another to happen.
He later added that the future of the university lay in the hands of the planning committee.
The plans included the demolition of the university’s student union along with “other redundant buildings’ to “provide a new learning gateway building” at the main campus.
Other proposals included nearly 200 new student flats on Crispin Lane and 107 on land behind the art college on Regent Street.
However traffic concerns and a lack of parking were the recurring themes during the meeting, with Grosvenor councillor Marc Jones and Offa councillor Alun Jenkins repeatedly calling for highways improvements and adequate parking to meet the scale of the planned developments.
Cllr Jones pointed out that the committee that overall they would be making decision on 974 new dwellings during the meeting and compared it to the 8,500 in the LDP which will be built over 15 years.
Cllr Jones adds that he is concerned of traffic and parking implications. He says that residents in his ward have concerns that streets in the Rhosddu area will be used for parking.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Clr Jenkins refers back to the mythical new Kop stand that a previous committee took a ‘gamble’ on for developers to deliver, along with improved junction plans that never happened. Seems skeptical of the officers interpretations of the highways reports.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
He said: “As local member for the area I want to see Glyndwr succeed. It is a huge asset for the town and my area. But I do not want to see it succeed at the expense of my area and this town.
“I am concerned about the lack of concern being shown in these plans for traffic and the parking implications.
“The concern my residents have is that people will inevitably park on surrounding streets. We have to be careful about making the situation worse.
“I did a recent survey in my area and 90 per cent said they needed a car to get to work. I am very wary, shall we say about the idea that we’re going to become a car free society when we don’t have buses and trains to meet the demand.”
The officer states parking and traffic issues are an “inevitable consequence of growth”. He adds that if people want town to “prosper, there will be times of day when there will be congestion”.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Similar concerns were raised by Cllr Jenkins, who said there was a “danger there is too much being suggested for too limited a site.”
But planning officer David Williams stated that issues with parking and traffic generation are “mutually incompatible” and that “you’ll never be in a situation where you can solve both issues”.
He said: “We have to accept that it is an inevitable consequence of growth. If we want the town to prosper there will be times of day when there will be congestion – it is the same in every town and city and Wrexham is no different.
“We should be looking to encourage users to look at other means of travel and not rely on cars.”
Cllr Paul Pemberton noted that there have been a number of planning applications that have been refused by the committee due to restricted parking, only to be approved on appeal due to being in a sustainable location.
He added: “We are where we are. If we don’t approve this then we are sending a distinct message that Wrexham is closed for business.”
First two applications for improvements on Mold Road campus have been granted.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
The applications for the two new sets of student flats were also met with concern, with Cllr Jenkins stating that the Crispin Lane traffic will get worse and called for the junction to be improved.
He also challenged a comment made by the council’s chief planning officer, Lawrence Isted, who stated in his report that “given that the units are solely for the use of students, I see no reason why any occupier should, or would desire to have a motor vehicle during their occupancy.”
Cllr Jenkins firmly said that he “sees no reason why that should be included” and that students will always have cars and park them in side streets if no parking is made available to them.
Officer notes there is an existing parking demand at the existing student flats at the north of the Uni campus to offset traffic concerns on new development. Officer also says in docs about another development that students don’t have or desire cars… pic.twitter.com/NXrSoQgP0J
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
However it was noted that the application does include improvements to Crispin Lane and the junction.
Mr Williams said that such a condition had been put in place back in over 10 years ago with the Student Village development, but had not been complied with.
He added that it was “critical that the condition is imposed on the applicants” and that they would be required to carry those out before the operational elements of the work begin.
Cllr Jones said it was “incredibly worrying” that the planning condition had not been met and called on the committee and officers to ensure that these are met going forward – otherwise it would be a “free for all”.
Wrexham football fans might be interested to listen in – new Kop stand referred to as being an ‘eagerly awaited’ development. Nothing firm in these proposals to see that happen. Eternally awaited perhaps?
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Cllr Jones notes councillors are dealing with a ‘more honest broker in terms of Glyndwr’ than previously in terms of the site… pic.twitter.com/HxUd0nwzlJ
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Highways notes the old 2008 application had improvement into the access into the Racecourse ground, and wants the improvements added into the new planning application. Shocka the required improvements didn’t previously happen, and WCBC did not spot/enforce 👀
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Cllr Paul Roberts asked why 11 years later such a condition hadn’t been met, with chairman of the committee Cllr Mike Morris saying that there there had been a “failing of the department”.
The three applications for approved by councillors. The Crispin Lane plans were voted through unanimously and the Regent Street saw a split in the vote, with a majority voting in favour for both.
You can view the rest of out live tweets from this part of the four hour meeting, below:
As you’d expect there are quite a few public speakers at this afternoon’s meeting – first on the agenda is the planned improvements for the main university campus.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Planning officer David Williams explains that the uni has submitted the plans to help it “compete in the higher education sector” and to improve its current facilities.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Planning Officer has just confirmed this is back in the application, and has ‘periodically visited the site’ to see parking situation. Did council ‘periodically visit’ the site under Moss & Roberts ownership and see the utter mess left about, let alone the invisible junction? https://t.co/S4vIeM1Np2
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Clr Marc Jones points out 974 new dwellings being decided on tonight, notes 8000 pencilled in the LDP alone…. but that figure is for over 15 years. Adds he wants to see the Uni do well, but has a range of concerns about the application.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Cllr Paul Pemberton moves the officer’s recommendation and says “if we don’t approve, we are sending a distinct message that Wrexham is closed for business”.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
He notes that there have been applications refused by the committee due to lack of parking and they have been overturned on appeal due to “being in a sustainable location”
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Agent thanks cllrs for that – smooth touch. On to the next applications from the uni, on the arts college which will be refurb as well as some buildings on the site being knocked down and new student flats built. Agent says without the new flats, the refurb could not be funded.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Cllr Jenkins says he welcomes elements of the report, however raises concerns about issues with the lane interchange system on Bradley Road and Central Road and the proposed appearance of the student flats.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Chair of Planning says he is ’embarrassed’ that IT issues means councillors cant see the images of what a development will look like – ‘hinges on the visual impact’. Arts College flat plans skipped for now, and might even be deferred if issues cant be fixed.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Computer has been fixed so we’re back to the plans for the Regent Street Art College. Still plans for Crispin Road and two housing developments to be discussed. Then onto non-Glyndwr applications…
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Permission granted to build new 107 bedroom student accomodation behind Regent Street Arts College – now moving onto plans for student accomodation on Crispin Lane…
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Wrexham football fans might be interested to listen in – new Kop stand referred to as being an ‘eagerly awaited’ development. Nothing firm in these proposals to see that happen. Eternally awaited perhaps?
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Clr Marc Jones points out a planning condition was not met historically (assume the junction) and wants better enforcement. Says ‘warm words’ about the football club and new stands, but will be ‘interesting to see’ what comes in future developments.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Cllr Paul Roberts asks the basic question, ‘if it is down in black and white’ ‘I would like to think the powers that be carry out the obligations’ Chair Cllr Morris says ‘it was not pursued or enforced’ and a ‘failure of the department’.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Cllr Marc Jones wants previous applicants to pay for the outstanding work rather than Glyndwr. Short answer is no.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
Crispin Lane development plans gets passed by the committee. Nothing substantively new from the previous development. Meeting moves to a quick comfort break.
— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) July 1, 2019
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