Controversial housing development sales office plans face approval

Plans to create a sales office for a controversial housing development in a Wrexham village could be approved despite objections.

Castle Green Homes started work to build 132 homes on land at Rossett Road in Rossett in March this year.

Permission for the scheme was initially denied by Wrexham Council in January 2019 due to concerns over flooding, the loss of green land and the impact on pedestrian safety.

The decision was overturned by the Welsh Government’s then housing minister Julie James the following year after she cited the high demand for living accommodation in Wrexham.

As work ramps up, the developer has applied to Wrexham Council to create a sales office, as well as entering separate plans to install 16 advertising signs at the site.

A number of objections have been submitted ahead of a meeting of the local authority’s planning committee to decide on the applications next week.

However, the proposals have been backed to go ahead by the council’s chief planning officer as he stressed the office and signs would not be in place permanently.

In a report, David Fitzsimon said: “The application site benefits from extant planning permission for the construction of 132 dwellings.

“It is considered that such temporary sales facilities are a common feature of new housing sites.

“In line with the provisions of both local and national planning policy, the development as proposed is acceptable in principle.

“The proposed sales office is of an overall modest scale and is of a standard design which is a common sight at such residential development sites.”

In relation to the signs, he added: “The signage would be sited adjacent to the public highway and would thus be visible publicly.

“However, given the design and the limited number of signs proposed, it is considered there would not be any adverse visual impacts arising from the proposal.”

Members of Rossett Community Council have opposed both applications, while local councillor Hugh Jones has objected solely to the advertising signs.

Cllr Jones said he believed the signs would be “inappropriate” for a rural area.

Four neighbouring residents have expressed concerns about the sales office proposals, claiming it would impact on access to their properties.

A decision will be made on the two sets of plans at the committee’s next meeting on Monday (July 1, 2024).

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter