Plans worth £29m could be entered to bring hundreds of jobs to Wrexham Industrial Estate

New plans worth around £29m have been revealed which could bring hundreds of jobs to Wrexham Industrial Estate.

A consultation has been launched ahead of developers formally lodging proposals to transform around 22 hectares of land off Oak Road.

Cefn Park Developments Ltd wants to redevelop the site, which used to form part of a Royal Ordnance Factory, in a bid to create new industrial units.

It’s been claimed that the scheme could provide a large boost to the area’s economy.

In draft documents published by J10 Planning, the firm said: “We would predict that the site could generate employment supporting a total of around 481 jobs.

“The total project contract value for this project is in the region of £29m and this will help to secure existing construction jobs based locally and create new ones.

“In what are still tough economic times; skilled jobs in the locality that will help maintain employment and provide and contribute towards the ongoing economic investment in the locality is a significant bonus.

“This proposal seeks to deliver jobs, economic growth and prosperity into the local economy.”

Permission was previously granted for an industrial development at the site in 2000, but has since lapsed.

Part of the land was home to a Royal Ordnance Factory which was commissioned during World War II and went on to form the origins of the industrial estate after it was decommissioned.

Some of the original ordnance buildings still remain on the site and CADW has expressed an interested in designating them as ancient monuments.

The company behind the scheme stressed that it would not have a negative impact on the old structures.

They said: “The site contains a number of former industrial structures associated with the production of cordite during the period of 1941-1945 or thereabouts and forms a small part of the former Royal Ordnance Factory Wrexham.

“During pre-application discussions both with Wrexham Council and CADW it has been suggested that some of the existing buildings and structures evident, hold a degree of historic significance, enough to merit being formally designated as scheduled ancient monuments.

“However, actual designation is yet to take place.

“A detailed heritage impact assessment has been undertaken by Townscape Town Planning and Heritage Consultants which has identified the existing structures and awarded a level of significance to the sites existing remains.”

Separate expansion plans for the industrial estate were approved by the local authority earlier this month.

Comments are now being invited on the latest proposals, which can be accessed here.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme).