Developer’s judicial review into Local Development Plan to be heard at end of the month
The people of Wrexham could know the future plans for development locally inside a month, as a crux court hearing is set for the end of the month for the Local Development Plan judicial review.
The details around the judicial review have been tightly held at Wrexham Council with the situation with a cautious and somewhat fraught atmosphere around the topic at the local authority, with hints of the behind the scenes mayhem bubbling through at times.
The troubled and at times controversial plan, which allocated land across the county borough for housing and development, was found sound by the Planning Inspectorate earlier this year.
However concerns remain over the selection of some sites in the plan which have been allocated for large scale housing developments and gypsy and traveller sites.
There have also been questions on the need for several thousand new homes after the most recent Census revealed a population growth of just 0.2 per cent in Wrexham over the last 10 years.
Wrexham Council is facing the judicial review from developers after rejecting its LDP twice in Guildhall votes, votes that opposition councillors challenged.
It has been publicly stated a group of developers – believed to be six – has brought the active judicial review.
They are looking to quash the decision made by councillors at the Full Council meeting on the 19th April, where the LDP was voted down and not adopted.
Outcomes could see the decision made in the Guildhall declared unlawful, and a compulsory adoption of the LDP ordered – or the review could throw the whole thing out and the LDP vote locally remain in place.
Public insight – via Cardiff – on Wrexham Council’s prospects came via Climate Change Minister Julie James who said ‘the council isn’t able to put up a proper defence‘.
The confirmation of the hearing date came prior to a full debate on an application for 92 houses between Rhosrobin and Pandy (our preview: “First big test of LDP double rejection as controversial plans for 90 new houses between Pandy and Rhosrobin set for debate“) at last night’s Planning Committee meeting.
Chairman Cllr Morris updated the committee on the Local Development Plan, explaining: “Now, before I start the debate on this application, I would just like to put something to members.
“You’re all aware that we are currently in the process of having a Judicial Review against our decisions not to adopt the LDP.”
“Clearly, this report relies heavily on the LDP and the weight it should be given.
“There are comments in the development management manual and other legislation which does say that we should give significant weight, and even more so when it’s been through an examination in public, but obviously in view of the decision of the judicial review case, which is pending for the end of November.
“Given that we’ve had two sites previously where they’ve been LDP allocations, and we’ve refused them, but they’ve been granted on appeal namely Gatewen and Rossett.
“My own view is that we should defer this application until the outcome of the judicial review is known.
“What I don’t want to do is discuss the thing for an hour and then say fine, we’re going to defer it. So that’s my view on it, but I mean, I’m entirely in your hands.”
Cllr Graham Rogers agreed, “I can entirely share with your sentiments and yes, I see this should be deferred pending the decision on the 29th of November. Thank you.”
Cllr Dana Davies also agreed, but cautioned a decision may not come on the 29th but would be ‘imminent’.
Cllr I David Bithell said he ‘totally agreed’ with the deferment.
No councillor spoke or indicated against the deferment.
The plans for the large scale housing development on land between Rhosrobin and Pandy will be discussed in the coming months.
(Top pic: The deferred plans)
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