Appeal over refusal of 82 new homes on green barrier land in Wrexham is thrown out

An appeal over the refusal of controversial plans to create more than 80 new houses on green barrier land in Wrexham has been thrown out.

Members of Wrexham Council’s planning committee rejected proposals to develop a site on Top Road in Summerhill back in February.

It followed concerns being raised by nearby residents over road safety and the loss of agricultural land.

Macbryde Homes later lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate after claiming its scheme for 82 properties would in fact deliver road safety improvements.

However, an inspector appointed by the Welsh Government to scrutinise the decision has now sided with councillors.

While Kay Sheffield found there would not be a significant impact on the area’s roads, she said allowing a development within the green barrier would be “inappropriate”.

In a report, she said: “The erection of 82 dwellings would result in a significant amount of built development which would fail to maintain the openness of the site.

“The location of the site on the edge of the settlement is significant in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and in preventing the coalescence of Gwersyllt and Broughton.

“The evidence therefore leads me to conclude that the proposal would constitute inappropriate development within the green barrier which would also fail to maintain openness and conflict with the purposes of including land within it.

She added: “Although the shortfall in housing land supply and the deliverability of the development carry some weight in favour of the appeal, the status of the site in the emerging Local Development Plan, loss of best and most versatile agricultural land and the contribution the site makes to the role and function of the green barrier carry weight against it.

“On balance I find that the other considerations in this case fail to clearly outweigh the identified harm to the green barrier and the very exceptional circumstances necessary to justify the development do not exist.”

Ahead of February’s meeting, the council’s chief planning officer had recommended the application for approval.

A representative for Macbryde, Stuart Andrews, said the proposed upgrades  to the area’s road network would be “significant”.

He added 20 out of the 82 proposed homes would be affordable and a financial contribution of almost £250,000 would be made to support nearby schools.

But the majority of councillors opposed the scheme and their decision has now been upheld.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter