'We need a plan that works for Wrecsam' - councillors call public meeting on controversial housing plan

Plaid Cymru councillors in Wrecsam

A public meeting to discuss the future of a controversial housing plan for Wrecsam has been organised at the Maesgwyn Hall for February 20th.

Councillors who opposed the Local Development Plan have organised the meeting so that they can update residents about the latest legal situation after the Court of Appeal victory against developers, the Welsh Government and Wrecsam Council.

They also want to outline the future for the plan, which allocated greenfield sites on either sides of Wrecsam for two new super-estates amounting to more than 3,100 homes.

Councillor Carrie Harper, who represents the Queensway ward in Caia Park, said: 

"We've called this public meeting to make sure the people of Wrecsam know what's happening in their community. Many have followed our campaign - backed by the majority of Wrexham councillors - to challenge the Welsh Government's attempts to impose the Local Development Plan on our community. The plan's most controversial aspect included allocating vast swathes of prime agricultural land for new super-estates of executive housing. 

"We want a plan that works for our communities not big corporate developers. Building 1500 houses on the Ruthin Road and effectively merging Bersham village with Wrecsam is creating urban sprawl without the infrastructure to go with it. Building 1680 homes on the Cefn Road without providing the necessary health, education and transport infrastructure is also not in the best interests of our communities.

"The plan was rejected twice by Wrecsam Councillors for this reason and, as a result, councillors were threatened with jail and legal action by developers. Our legal challenge to that was successful in December 2024 and we hope that will mean the council and the Welsh Government will now accept that we need a plan that works for Wrecsam."

Fellow Plaid Cymru councillor Marc Jones, who represents the Grosvenor ward, led the legal challenge in the Court of Appeal. 

He said: 

"Despite our comprehensive victory in the Court of Appeal, the Welsh Government has chosen to appeal to the Supreme Court. This was despite the three Court of Appeal judges refusing to allow leave to appeal. We'll be explaining the current situation at the public meeting because it's important that people understand what's going on and why this state of affairs has happened.

"We also want to start that conversation about how we move forward now to ensure we have a plan that works for our communities. A plan that doesn't ensure we have the necessary services and infrastructure for any future growth isn't working for Wrexham."

The public meeting in the Maesgwyn Hall on Mold Road (opposite the Cae Ras) starts at 7pm on Thursday, February 20th.