Apartment plans for former Caia Park community centre site recommended for approval

Plans to demolish a former community centre to make way for a new apartment block could soon be given the go ahead.

The application for land at Eaton Drive, Caia Park, proposes that a three storey building consisting of 16 one and two bedroom apartments is developed on the site.

On Monday councillors will be asked to give their backing to the plans, which have been described by the chief planning officer as an opportunity to “regenerate and visually enhance the area”.

However the plans have been challenged by local councillor Malcolm King, who says that while the redevelopment of the site is welcome, “16 units are too many and it is a case of cramming them in.”

Cllr King has also raised concerns that the three storey building will result in neighbouring properties “will be overlooked and lose their privacy.”

One objection was submitted by a local resident who said the building “is not in keeping with the surrounding properties and it will be too imposing and unsightly.”

The council’s asset department have also raised concerns over the “likely increase in traffic and capacity issues within the car park during the construction phase”, adding that “the applicant does not have a right of way across the council land.”

However Lawrence Isted, chief planning officer at Wrexham Council, has recommended the application is approved subject to a Section 106 contribution from the developer being secured.

Addressing concerns about the loss of privacy for neighbouring residents, Mr Isted states: “Whilst the building is taller than the dwellings on Eaton Drive, the land slopes upwards beyond the application site, as do the dwellings, and the proposed building will sit comfortably with the street scene.

“The development proposes a contemporary mix of materials common to the area to ensure that the built development is sympathetic to the locality.”

He adds: “The current proposal offers the opportunity to regenerate and visually enhance the area in accordance with planning policies GDP1, PS2 and PS3 which seek to ensure that development does not harm the appearance of the townscape, makes re-use of brownfield, and that it positively contributes to the appearance of the nearby locality.

“A safe and satisfactory means of access to the site has been proposed, and there would be no detrimental impact upon local residential amenity.

“The development complies with all of the relevant local planning policies, and I recommend accordingly.

“My recommendation is however in three parts to reflect the requirement for a S106 agreement prior to the granting of any permission, and to allow for the application to be refused should the S106 not be completed within six months of the date of this resolution.”

The application will be considered for approval in a virtual planning meeting on Monday 7 September.

*Picture: Planning document.