Appeal over refusal of plans for houses next to closed Wrexham pub is dismissed

An appeal over the refusal of plans to build houses next to a closed Wrexham pub has been dismissed.

The Gredington Arms in Llan-y-Pwll used to be situated on the main route to Wrexham Industrial Estate on Holt Road.
It shut its doors in 2010 due a decline in passing trade after a new £30m link road was created.

Proposals to construct up to five properties on land surrounding the pub were turned down by Wrexham Council last year because of the harm it would cause to the countryside.

An appeal was later launched by the applicant Des Hughes-Whilding, who claimed the derelict site was “crying out” to be transformed.

However, the local authority’s decision has now been upheld by a planning inspector appointed by the Welsh Government.

In a report, Kay Sheffield concluded it would have a considerable impact on the area.

She said: “The erection of up to five dwellings on the land would result in a significant amount of built development which would fail to maintain its openness.

“The proposal would extend the built development along Holt Road and away from the former public house and the cluster of dwellings to the south east. It would also be elevated above Holt Road and the pub buildings.

“I consider the development would encroach into the countryside and have a significant visual impact on the area.

“I find that to allow the development would conflict with the purposes of including the land within the green barrier as well as failing to maintain openness.”

Ms Sheffield acknowledged Wrexham is currently without a five-year housing land supply, but said the argument only carried a limited weight.

She added the site had become overgrown to the extent that it could be considered to form part of the natural environment.

She therefore found the exceptional circumstances required to justify the development had not been demonstrated.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme)