Radical plan for new housing in Wrexham

A radical housing plan to build new council homes and bring hundreds of empty properties back into use is being proposed as an alternative to building vast estates on green fields surrounding Wrexham.

Plaid Cymru in Wrexham has unveiled its housing plan ahead of the May council elections, stating that it will build new council houses to help the 1800 people on the council's waiting list. In addition, it will also work to bring some of the 2,500 properties that are currently empty in the borough back into use.

This approach is, the party says, in stark contrast to the Cardiff Labour Government and current Wrexham Council's plan to build 12,000 new homes - many of them on greenfield sites and playing fields.

Sarah Roberts, Plaid Cymru's candidate for the Brynyffynnon ward, said: 

"Wrexham Council and the Cardiff Labour Government want to build 12,000 new houses on our green fields and playing areas. This level of over development is not needed in Wrexham.

"Plaid Cymru is opposed to these plans, which will put huge pressure on already struggling local services and infrastructure. We believe that new housing plans should be sustainable and based on local need rather than speculative over development.

"Labour's plan, as it now stands, would see 12,000 homes built in the next decade or so. We've already seen developers apply for hundreds of houses at Llay and Rhosrobin, new villages comprising of thousands of houses are planned for green fields off Ruthin Road, the rugby club down Bryn Estyn Lane as well as new housing estates planned in the town centre.

"The impact of 12,000 new households - which the Welsh Government forecast will mean a 22% growth in population - on our local infrastructure hasn't been considered. It's clear this plan will have a huge impact on our hospital, GP surgeries, dentists, school places and road congestion."

Plaid Cymru's plan for housing is to scrap this unsustainable plan and invest in:

• Building new council housing to tackle the waiting list of 1800 applications - both Flintshire and Carmarthenshire Council's are now building new council houses.
• Bringing many of the 2,500 empty properties in the borough back into use through Empty Dwelling Management Orders and other means.
• Talk to communities about meeting demand in the area and ensuring a supply of housing that matches local need.