LDP2 could see local final decision with possible rejection or adoption by Christmas

Wrexham’s important Local Development Plan could finally be decided upon locally in the coming months.

The troubled and at times controversial Local Development Plan is a second effort at getting a LDP in place locally. The LDP could decide where several thousand houses could be built across Wrexham with preferred sites across the area for housing, retail and employment developments also defined.

The LDP2 is formally to cover 2013 to 2028, replacing the current adopted Unitary Development Plan which covers 1996-2011.

Eagle eyed readers may spot it is actually 2022, and a lot of things have changed in recent years.

We asked at the Executive Board media brief about the LDP2 progress, after a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment was tabled for their next meeting.

In the report the LDP’s controversial house building figures are referenced, and used as an indicator to how it could affect childcare needs, “Wrexham’s Local Development Plan proposes development of 6,250 new homes up to 2028. The wards or settlements with the highest number of expected total dwellings to be built are Rhosddu, Acrefair/Cefn Mawr, Brymbo, Llay and Ruabon. It is possible that, despite an overall decrease in population across Wrexham, demand for future childcare provision may increase in these areas as new families move into the developments.”

Elsewhere an ‘analysis of demographic and economic context’ is detailed, noting a different view from the LDP: “The most recent population data for children aged 0-4 years from the Office for National Statistics shows that this age group will gradually decrease by 496 children across Wrexham between 2020- 2026. This follows the trend that birth rates in Wrexham have fallen year on year from 2017-2020, by 274. In addition, the overall population for Wrexham is projected to decrease by 1,751 residents from 2018-2027. This suggests that the demand for childcare may decrease.”

As we wrote in 2020, stats indicated a population drop of -1.5% , with older LDP figures expecting Wrexham to have at times a +20% rise and a more recent LDP evidence base documents refer to a range of projections, that could indicate a 152k to 158k total population range for Wrexham. That recent document also states: “Even taking into account there are more births than deaths, migration is the main driver of population growth in Wrexham County Borough” – something more recent stats disagree with.

We asked if the LDP2 was now hindering council work, and such a direct discord in a report should be seen as a red flag over the future of the LDP itself, and enquired on the progress of the LDP.

Council Leader Mark Pritchard said, “We are waiting for it to come back down from the Inspectors and then that will go to Full Council, and the decision will be made on it at Full Council.”

We asked if there was any indication which meeting could see it be discussed, Cllr Pritchard added, “We are waiting for the Inspectors to come back.

“That’s where we are. We supported that it went out for consultation, and it went out on deposit, and we followed the process.

“We always knew that the final decision would be made the Full Council and that time is coming closer and closer.

“When it will come? I don’t know. It could come before Christmas, it might come in the New Year. But, I think we’re more or less coming to the end of the journey on the Local Development Plan 2.”