Plans to demolish former chapel to make way for housing recommended for approval

Plans to demolish a former chapel to make way for housing have been recommended for approval.

Members of Wrexham Council’s planning committee will next week debate outline plans to demolish Salem Chapel in Ponciau and use the site to develop two houses

Outline plans for the vacant chapel were submitted to Wrexham Council in summer 2017, with the applicant stating at the time that “allowing the structure to deteriorate into a state of disrepair would have a ‘detrimental impact on the local community”.

The plans have been recommended for approval by the head of environment and planning at Wrexham Council.

However objections to the development have been put forward by the local community council, who say that the heights of the buildings do not accord with the surrounding properties.

The application has also been challenged by Capel (Chapels Heritage Society) and CPAT (Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust) who argue that the building should be retained and “sensitively converted” rather than demolished.

It is also noted in next week’s report that CPAT had approached Cadw to determine whether the building is of listing quality.

But the head of environment and planning states that advice from the council was sought by Cadw, which did “not consider that the building is worthy of listing”.

He adds: “Whilst the loss of this redundant chapel building is unfortunate, it bears no statutory, nor any local planning policy protections.

“The site is located within a defined settlement limit and would constitute previously developed land representing a sustainable location for residential development.

“I do not consider that the residential development of this site would be detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring occupiers or the wider townscape character and I recommend accordingly.”

The plans will be debated by planning committee members at 4pm on Tuesday 1st May. The meeting will also be webcast live on the Wrexham Council website.

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