Caego housing plans recommended for approval ahead of planning committee debate

Housing plans on land in Caego could be given the go ahead, despite concerns over the location of the development and the impact it could have on local infrastructure.

Members of Wrexham Council’s planning committee will debate the plans for green barrier space on Berse Road, Caego next week.

Outline plans for the land were submitted to Wrexham Council in 2016, however were refused by councillors later that year amid concerns of the development falling outside of the settlement limit.

A report due before committee members next week provides a background to that 2016 decision, with the head of environment and planning stating: “Members will recall that a previous application was presented to the September 2016 Planning Committee meeting.

“The planning officer recommended that planning permission be granted however, permission was refused at the meeting for the following reason: The proposed development lies outside settlement limits and within a designated green barrier.

“The proposed development would represent an unacceptable incursion in to the green barrier and would not form a logical extension to the existing settlement.”

Next week’s report continues onto say that the proposal now submitted “remains entirely the same as previously considered and is for the residential development of the Greenfield land.”

However a number of fears and objections have been raised about the new proposals, with the local Community Council citing concerns about the effect on local facilities, access and visibility issues and falling outside the settlement limit as reasons for its refusal.

Similar concerns have been raised by the local councillor, who notes: “Where would the children of this estate go to school, the local junior school is running now at capacity and we still have around 100 more houses left to be built on the Gatewen village estate.

“Section 106 money will not be of any use as the school has no room to extend.”

Nine responses were also made by neighbouring residents, with comments including pressures on the local doctors surgery, loss of privacy and views across the field, unsafe access and “increased danger” on the main road due to additional traffic.

Another comment adds: “This land is Greenbelt and I think we are losing far too much of beautiful land which is our legacy to future generations.

“I know providing houses is important but think this is for national debate and also think there
are brownfield sites available in the Wrexham area which should be considered first.”

However it is noted by the head of environment and planning that whilst the land ordinarily falls outside the settlement limit, it has been allocated for housing in the new Local Development Plan process.

Reference is also made to a green barrier review, which concluded that the “status should be removed from the application site and its immediate surroundings”. This, the report states, is due to “the distance between the settlements, the lack of development pressure and the fact that development in this location would still be controlled by the presence of a settlement limit.”

It adds: “There appears to be little justification to retain a green wedge in this location.

“Allowing the site to come forward would secure the controlled expansion of an urban area and assist in safeguarding further areas of the countryside from encroachment.”

As a result the application has been recommended for approval, subject to the success of a Section 106 agreement between the council and developers.

The head of environment and planning’s concludes his report by stating: “Whilst representing a departure from some of the policies of the adopted UDP, the development of the site is justified in this instance as contributing to the five year land supply whilst at the same time being in a sustainable location and providing an acceptable form of development.

“The proposal would maintain the wider openness of the green barrier and would not have a detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the area.

“The site has been allocated within the LDP for housing and removed from the green barrier designation, and I recommend accordingly.”

The application will be considered by members of the planning committee at 4pm on Tuesday 3rd April.