“Done to death” Local Development Plan to go out for public consultation

Members of the public are being urged to have their say on where thousands of new homes could potentially be developed across Wrexham over the next decade.

A consultation on Wrexham Council’s Deposit Local Development Plan (LDP) will formally begin in April after councillors supported launching the public process at yesterday’s full council meeting.

The document lays out the preferred development strategy up until 2028 and upon adoption will replace the current Unitary Development Plan (1996 – 2011) and will act as the basis for decisions on land use planning for county borough.

Provision for 8,525 new homes up until 2028 is provided in the draft document – which also estimates that the plan could be the basis for 4,200 new jobs in the area.

Potential sites for development are located across the county borough, however two of the largest pieces of land allocated for housing are on Cefn Road and Ruthin Road, where thousands of homes could potentially be built in the future.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, Lead Member for Planning and Corporate Services, Cllr David Kelly explained that it was a statutory requirement for local authorities to have an up to date development plan for a 15 year period.

Wrexham’s plan expired in 2011, with what is known as LDP 1 refused later that year by a Welsh Government inspector for the lack of housing provision.

Cllr Kelly noted that it was “imperative” the council makes swift progress with the plan and warned that failure to do so within the timescale could result in Welsh Government intervention in the planning process and additional costs to the local authority.

He added: “During the consultation there will be a number of opportunities to have your say and provide views on the soundness of the plan

Clr Kelly ends a very lengthy LDP report presentation, now over to the floor to see if this will be quick item or if will be cllr’s speaking about proposals in the LDP for their ward

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) March 28, 2018

During the executive board meeting earlier this month, several councillors raises concerns about the impact large scale housing developments could have on the local area, whilst acknowledging that the public consultation process was necessary.

Such concerns were reiterated again yesterday by some members with Cllr Alan Edwards, noting that whilst he has reservations on certain sites in his ward, he will support launching the public consultation.

He said: “The consultation part is fit and proper and I will support it. Even though I must reserve the right and say I don’t agree with the plan itself.”

Grosvenor Cllr Marc Jones offered a more scathing response to the repeat of LDP process, stating that it had “been done to death”.

He continued: “I speak as someone who has been passionately involved in LDP 1, where we did it to death as well to be honest.

“LDP 1 rightly focused on developing brownfield sites and allocating land for 8000 houses up to 2028. The Welsh Government in all its wisdom said it wanted a 20 per cent increase in population in this borough up to 2035. I think we all recognised back then that they were misconstruing.

“Those population projections meant we had to allocate land initially for around 13,000 homes. That was later revised down to 11,715 and that resulted in two huge commuter estates being planned for on the outskirts of town.

Clr Marc Jones says LDP has been ‘done to death’ but is going to do it to death again, gives history lesson to new Clrs. Blames Welsh Gov for ‘5 wasted years’ & costs. Voices concern about 1.5k / 1.6k ‘commuter estates’ earmarked.

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) March 28, 2018

“Those population projections as we expected turned out to be nonsense, exposed by the census which showed modest increase in reality and the Welsh Government revised their figure downwards and back to around 8500 homes. We’ve come full circle more or less.

“We have had five wasted years where haven’t been able to get on with planning, seen five wasted years where projections proved wrong and had five wasted years where had to spend £203,000 on LDP process I don’t believe we needed to do

“I think the Welsh Government should hang its head in shame for putting us through that at a time we are making cuts to essential services.”

One of the key concerns raised during both LDP processes is the pressure on the local infrastructure, with Cllr Tina Mannering calling for clarification on what Wrexham Council is undertaking to deliver the plan.

Cllr Mannering said: “The Local Development Plan sets out the council’s proposed land use from 2013-2028, which will support the council to deliver new homes and jobs to Wrexham.

“I do have concerns that we need more investment in our strategic infrastructure so employment, new jobs and investment will take place in Wrexham.

“Can I ask the lead member and officers what work is being carried out to deliver this plan?”

Clr Bithell says his group will be supporting the LDP consultation, cites Maelor Hospital issues locally, adds ‘major health warning, “We need major capital from Welsh Government to deliver this plan. Unless that comes, some of this plan will fail.”

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) March 28, 2018

Cllr Kelly said: “As lots of members will already be aware, there have been a number of meetings with Welsh Government, highways officers and we have already done some number crunching. That includes infrastructure improvements to the A483.

“I think the Welsh Government are starting to realise they are on board to a certain degree for the amount of investment required.

“It is not as simplistic at the Welsh Government putting all the money in. There will be some Welsh Government funding, Section 106 contributions and there might be an inevitable cost to the authority.”

The planning officer also explained that an infrastructure plan sits alongside the LDP, which identifies what would be required to deliver the housing sites, including education provision, highways provision and open space requirements.

Clr Morris points out that LDP needs to go to consultation now to meet delivery agreement, and if not approved it would be likely Welsh Gov would step in – and WCBC could even get a ‘hefty bill’ for that pleasure.

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) March 28, 2018

Commenting on the A483 words, the officer added: “As Cllr Kelly has indicated there has been a lot of work done with Welsh Government specifically around Junction 4 and Junction 5 of the A483 and they have made a commitment to undertake further procurement works in April of this year to look at a solution to J4 and J5.

“The intended timescale going forward from what I understand is the preferred solution is likely to be known around summer 2019 with commencement for any works identified in 2020/21.”

However Cllr David A Bithell said that while the Wrexham Independent Group would support the plan going to consultation, the LDP comes with a “major health warning” and that investment is needed from the Welsh Government.

He said: “It is important we do have a meaningful consultation so everyone can have their views.

“We see problems that hospitals are facing due to infrastructure and barriers to employment, that is becoming apparent in Wrexham.

“This plan comes with a major health warning and unless this investment is forthcoming, we can’t do this on our own. We will need major investment from the Welsh Government.

“Unless that investment comes, some of this plan will fail and stop economic growth in Wrexham.”

Cartrefle Cllr Ronnie Prince explained that he was unable to support the plan and questioned where Wrexham Council would be left if the consultation found the public disagreed with using Cefn Road and Ruthin Road as “strategic sites” for development.

Cllr Kelly reiterated that “none of the sites are deliverable without the infrastructure being appraised” and that if “one of those major sites doesn’t come on stream, we won’t hit the numbers.”

He added: “Most major developers will only develop 50 to 100 properties in a yearly period. It is dictated to us by market. We could have identified sites but not have building on them going forward. That is the reality.”

Clr Pritchard wrapping up the debate on this item, says any Cllr abstaining or voting against are “denying the right to the people of Wrexham to have their opportunity to voice their concerns, worries and fears”, says those who vote like that ‘have to explain why’

— Wrexham.com (@wrexham) March 28, 2018

However Council Leader Mark Pritchard warned that any councillor that votes or abstains from allowing the LDP to go to a public consultation would be “denying the right for the people of Wrexham to voice concerns on what is happening in local communities”.

A vote on whether to progress with a public consultation on the Deposit Development Plan saw 45 councillors vote in favour and one abstain.

The public consultation is expected to begin on April 9th and will take place until May 31st.