Revised plans submitted to build 90 houses on Glyndwr University campus in Wrexham

Revised plans have been entered which could see 90 houses built in place of empty halls of residence on a university campus in Wrexham.

Glyndwr University was previously granted permission to demolish student accommodation at the Plas Coch site in July 2019.
The scheme outlined at the time would have resulted in the construction of 410 apartments aimed at professionals from key employers, such as Wrexham Maelor Hospital and HMP Berwyn.

However, developers Edwards Homes have now unveiled proposals to create a number of two to four-bedroom houses instead.

In a reserved matters application submitted to Wrexham Council, consultants said the new homes would be suitable for families and children.
They said: “The site occupies the northern quarter of the existing Glyndwr University Plas Coch campus and currently contains redundant former student halls of residence, library building and car parking.

“The proposal is to develop the site with the erection of 90 detached and semi-detached, two, three and four-bedroomed two-storey residential dwellings together with a central area of public open space and children’s play area.

“The proposals include the retention and protection of the majority of trees within the site and good pedestrian connectivity to all points of the compass.”
They added: “In terms of the principle of development, in his response to the applicant’s pre-application enquiry, a planning officer confirmed that the principle of residential development is acceptable on this site, albeit that a higher density of development was initially envisaged during consideration of the application for outline planning permission.

“The proposals have been designed to represent a conventional form of low rise development in a sustainable location with the needs and wants of families and young children foremost in the designer’s mind.”

The proceeds of selling the site with planning permission are set to be used by the university to part-fund improvements worth £60m outlined as part of its Campus 2025 project.
Approval for the original scheme was given despite a highways officer raising concerns about the impact on nearby roads, including Plas Coch Road, which connects to a neighbouring retail park.

Addressing comments about a lack of emergency access to the site, the consultants said: “The submitted proposals now indicate a permanent pedestrian access via the existing gated
access on to Plas Coch Road which previously served as vehicular and pedestrian access to the Goldstein Library.

“This existing access which is four metres wide will also be used as a vehicular access and egress in an emergency only.”

The local authority will make a decision on the proposals at a later date.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter