Plans to convert former chapel into four-bedroom home refused

Plans to convert a former chapel in Glyn Ceiriog into a four-bedroom home have been refused.

Proposals were lodged with Wrexham Council seeking to transform the Soar Chapel on Llanarmon Road into a residential property, which would have brought the building back into use.

A design and access statement submitted with the application, detailed the history of the building which ceased being used as a chapel more than four years ago.

The statement said: “Soar Chapel held its last and final service on 17th February 2018, with the few remaining members being welcomed at nearby Seion Baptist Chapel, Glyn Ceiriog. The building has remained vacant since and was subsequently marketed for private sale.

“The property is an existing, substantial detached Victorian chapel situated in a village in the Ceiriog Valley.

“A plaque depicts that Soar Chapel was built in 1877 on an elevated plot with views across the valley some seven miles from Chirk, where there are wide ranging amenities including excellent transport links.

“The proposal is to bring a presently vacant, former chapel back to life and provide an attractive use as a high quality residential dwellinghouse. The proposals are entirely sympathetic to the existing structure and have no detrimental or adverse impact on the character of both the structure itself and the surrounding area.”

It added: “The existing internal historical features of character are to be retained and left ‘on-show’ in reflection to its history and former use.

“All utilities are readily available for connection, ensuring the minimum of disruption during the construction process and the applicant will work closely with the local authority and neighbouring residents to harmonise and satisfy any limited disruption as a result of construction.”

But the plans have been turned down due to concerns that phosphate levels to the River Dee would increase.

Outlining why the plans had been refused, Wrexham Council’s Interim Chief Planning Officer Ian Jones, wrote: “The development will result in an increase in phosphate levels to the River Dee and Bala Lake Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and is likely to result in damaging effects to the SAC

“The proposal is contrary to paragraph 6.4.18 of Planning Policy Wales and EC6 of the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan.”

By Rory Sheehan – BBC Local Democracy Reporter