Future Of Cefn Mawr Up For Debate During Weekend Public Meetings

A series of drop-in sessions about the future of Cefn Mawr and how the area fits into Wrexham Council’s proposed Local Development Plans are to take place across this weekend. 

The meetings have been organised by the Plas Kynaston Canal Group and come off the back of Cefn Mawr not being featured in Wrexham Council’s public consultation meetings about the Local Development Plan.

Therefore the PKC Group are holding a Public Consultation in the Holly Bush Inn on the weekend of the 5th & 6th of March where they will try to answer question on how the LDP2 applies to their local community central to the Pontcysyllte World Heritage Site.

In February 2016 Wrexham Council launched their public consultation regarding the LDP2, asking members of the public for their views on the Preferred Strategy for the country over the next 12 years.

The LDP is focused on achieving sustainable development and will provide a long-term strategy for land use and development in the County Borough throughout the plan period. The LDP will:

· guide development for housing, employment, retail and other uses;
· set out policies that will be used to decide planning applications; and
· safeguard areas of land requiring protection or enhancement.

It is estimated that over the next 12 years over 12,000 new homes will need to be developed across the county borough, with 1200 set to be on brownfield sites and the remainder on green space.

During the meetings over the weekend, the Plas Kynaston Canal Group will discuss the LDP and make representations / proposals for Cefn Mawr.

A statement released by the group reads: “The LDP2 reflects the Welsh Governments Sustainable Development Charter and the Plas Kynaston Canal Group are making a number of representations that fully comply with and support both LDP2 and SDC Goals. These representations are practical solutions that will enable Cefn Mawr to recover on a sustainable basis, following the closure of the only two major employers in the area, the ex-Monsanto and Air Products Works.

“The representations being made are for much needed (1) main road signage, (2) improvements to Windborne Gate Parking, (3) opening up Jessop’s Tramway (4) a new Railway Station next to Tesco and (5) the full reinstatement of the Plas Kynaston Canal all the way to the Queens Hotel in Cefn Mawr.

“These representations will form the basis of the PKC Groups program of “Back to the Future for Cefn Mawr”. During the course of the LDP2 it is expected that by reviving these old transport infrastructure assets the economy of Cefn Mawr can be developed on a sustainable basis for all including our children and grand children in accordance with WCBC LDP2 and WAG SDC objectives.”

For those interested in having their say on Cefn Mawr and the Local Development Plan, the meetings will take place between 10am and 4pm over the weekend.

Further information and documents on the above proposals can be found on the Plas Kynaston Canal Group website.

(Picture from Plas Kynaston Canal Group Facebook Page)