Former ‘TE Roberts’ King Street Store Faces Demoltion

A building which was once home to a local home electronics company could face demolition if proposals are passed.

The former T.E Roberts store on King Street could be demolished and replaced with a three storey office / commercial space if a planning application is given the go-ahead.

The unit has remained vacant since the retailer closed its doors earlier this year; however if the proposals are successful the new property would be occupied by Unite the Union.

Yesterday afternoon we popped down to King Street and noticed that the ‘ram raider’ bollards that were placed outside the property during the street’s regeneration had already been removed, with what appeared to be new blocking in its place.

Back in January we reported an application had been submitted by Unite The Union to convert the store into District Office space. The new property would also have space for meeting rooms, training rooms and a staff room.

The application’s Design and Access Statement notes that the location has been chosen due to its access to public via transport, proximity of support outlets; private parking and desirable location.

In addition the 14 car parking spaces to the rear of the property would retained and used by staff working at the offices.

Initially the application put forward by Unite was to refurbish the T.E. Roberts store, however it is noted in the Design and Access Statement that: “Subsequent investigation of the structure and changes to Unite’s requirement for the building have led to the current proposal to replace this existing building with a new building fit for future.”

Aesthetically the new building would ‘be a footprint broadly similar to the existing building’. The proposal design would be in keeping with the buildings on the street, retaining ‘the existing street pattern’.

A second application regarding the demolition of a building due to its location in a conservation area has been submitted separately.

One interesting point in the Design and Access Statement refers to the choice of location, noting: “The site is outside of the central retail area defined by Wrexham Council, and is on the peripheral of the commercial district.

“The council has indicated a preference for town centre office development outside of the central shopping zone.”

The application to demolish the building and replace with office space is one of many applications that have been submitted for King Street in recent weeks.

In July we reported that an application had been put forward to extend a solictor’s, and just last week we reported the first and second floor of five King Street could be converted into two self contained apartments.