Environment body stands firm over objection to former Wrexham nightclub apartment plans

An environment body has stood firm over its objection to plans to create almost 40 apartments around a former Wrexham nightclub.

During the summer, councillors discussed proposals to convert the first and second floors of an old night spot on the corner of Brook Street into ten apartments.

It would also see a new four-storey building housing 28 apartments constructed on a connecting area on Bridge Street.

The scheme was recommended for refusal by planning officers after Natural Resources Wales (NRW) highlighted that the site is located within a C2 flood risk area near the River Gwenfro, where there are no significant flood defences in place.

Wrexham Council’s planning committee decided to defer the decision in July to ask NRW to reconsider its classification amid fears it could hamper the regeneration of a derelict part of the town.

However, the Welsh Government sponsored agency has now confirmed it will not revisit the land’s flood risk status ahead of the application being re-presented at January’s planning meeting.

In a report, the local authority’s chief planning officer Lawrence Isted said: “Following the deferral of the application I contacted NRW with a view to having further discussions regarding flood risk.

“However NRW have advised that they do not consider there to be a benefit to discussing the zone C2 designation in respect of this site given that their response is clear on the matter.

“Whilst TAN15 (technical advice note 15: development and flood risk) is due to be updated, NRW have advised that it would be premature to discuss how this may impact upon the regeneration of the area, particularly as this would be entirely speculative – i.e. there are no detailed proposals for other sites at this time.

“In light of the above, the position in respect of this development remains unchanged.

“Whilst it is acknowledged that the site and wider town centre would benefit from bringing a vacant site and building back into use, the proposals very clearly conflict with TAN15 advice given that the site lies partly with zone C2.”

There are currently a number of empty plots along Bridge Street, Brook Street and St. Giles Way, close to the parish church.

The land earmarked for the new building has been vacant since several shops were bought and demolished by the Welsh Development Agency in partnership with the council in the early 2000s.

Lingar Holdings, which is behind the scheme, claims it will greatly improve the appearance of the area.

Local councillor Alun Jenkins previously warned his colleagues that refusing the development on flood risk grounds would prevent the empty sites from being regenerated.

Speaking at July’s meeting, he said: “My concern is the refusal of this application is being recommended solely on flood risk grounds, which sets such a huge precedent and would mean that the future application for redevelopment in the area would be impossible to approve.
“It would put virtually a blight on the whole of that part of town.

“We’re talking about big developments here. There’s a site on the opposite side of Bridge Street, going down onto St. Giles way, and alongside the river beneath the parish church.

“There’s a huge site there waiting for redevelopment. If we turn this one down today, then we would have to turn any application down on the same grounds, because that’s even closer to the river.”

Despite calls for the flood risk to be reviewed, councillors are again being asked to back the refusal of the plans when they meet on Monday (January 4, 2021).

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter