New Village on Wrexham’s Outskirts Prompts Local Concerns

Local residents have highlighted huge concerns about plans to build a new village between Bersham and Ruthin Road in Wrexham.

Around 40 people attended a public meeting organised by Plaid Cymru last night about the council’s plan to allocate farmland for 1260 houses on the western outskirts of Wrexham.

Many local residents attended and raised concerns about the impact the development would have on drainage, sewerage, the roads, health services and schools.

Among the speakers were Carrie Harper, Plaid Cymru’s Wrexham candidate, who said: “There’s nothing local about this Local Development Plan. It’s being driven by Welsh Government planning inspectors who are imposing an artificially high population projection on the local council. This, in turn, is forcing Wrexham Council to devise a plan that will see thousands of new houses built on greenfield sites and playing fields

“I’m all in favour of affordable housing to rent or buy but this will be a huge commuter estate lacking community facilities and any kind of identity.”Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru’s Clwyd South candidate and a campaigner with the North Wales Health Alliance, raised concerns about the impact the development would have on an already struggling NHS locally: “At a time when we see ambulances queuing outside the Maelor, can we really cope with the additional population being projected by this plan?”

Local concerns included the fact that the land had been found to be too waterlogged to be used as a cemetery site in recent years. Adjoining land, the meeting was told, was already prone to flooding and the development would only make matters worse.

Residents from Brymbo also highlighted the promises made by developers about new housing developments that had been ‘broken’ and there was concern that the council would not be willing to stand up to housing corporations.

Cllr Marc Jones, who chaired the meting said: “The meeting was full of people concerned and angry about this LDP. We were united in wanting to oppose the Local Development Plan, which could see Wrexham effectively merge with neighbouring villages to create one urban sprawl. Anyone wishing to oppose the LDP has until 5pm on Friday to submit concerns to [email protected].”

Plaid Cymru is organising another public meeting at St John’s Church on Borras Road, Wrexham (next to the Spider Park) this evening at 7.30pm to provide information about the plans to develop a new 1500-house village on the Cefn Road on Ysgol Morgan Llwyd playing fields and the rugby club grounds. All welcome to attend.