Appeal submitted after plans for major Rhosrobin housing development were refused

A planning appeal has been lodged after plans for a large scale housing development in Rhosrobin were thrown out by councillors.

The outline application for 189 houses on land east of Tan y Bont, Rhosrobin, were refused by Wrexham Council’s planning committee in March, due to concerns of the use of green barrier space and the coalescence of Pandy and Old Rhosrobin.

The plans were the second of its kind to be submitted for the site, with proposals put forward in 2014 to develop up to 400 homes on the entire stretch of land between Rhosrobin and Pandy.

This application was later revised in 2015 and consisted of proposals to build 338 houses. This was refused due to lying outside the settlement limit, inadequate means of access to the site and the ‘significant and detrimental impact upon Wat’s Dyke, a scheduled ancient monument, and its setting’.

While previous applications for the site proposed housing was developed from the Rhosrobin end of the field down towards Plas Acton Road in Pandy, the outline application debated by councillors this year saw the proposed development focused on the land nearest the New Road in Rhosrobin.

The application also proposed that access to site would be provided via a proposed four exit roundabout junction on Main Road, which would also provide access to the Top Farm Road housing estate directly opposite the application site.

However the application was recommended for refusal, with planning control manager David Williams stating at the time that although the plans had “overcome two of the previous reasons for refusal, what remains is the impact on the green barrier”.

He added: “Our view and it is consistent, is the view we took in 2015 when a larger application was submitted. This proposal would still be contrary to policy and would represent a significant intrusion into green barrier and affect the open character of that area. It would result in coalescence of Rhosrobin and the town of Wrexham.”

Now an appeal objecting to the committee’s decision has been lodged by Welsh Town Planning & Housing Trust, who were joint applicants with Liberty Properties.

In their appeal documents the applicants request an inquiry into the council’s decision, stating: ” The application is of a scale and complexity to justify consideration through a public inquiry. The main issues of five year housing supply and release of land from the Green Barrier requires detailed assessment and cross examination.”

If granted, it is estimated the public inquiry would last two days, with the applicants stating it would provide an “opportunity for expert witnesses to present appropriate evidence and allows for cross examination”.