Garages set to be demolished in new year to make way for social housing

A block of council garages will soon be demolished to make way for new social housing.

Planning permission to utilise the “hardstanding land”, on Derwent Crescent in Acton, to build three new council houses was granted in October 2023.

Currently the space, which is used as parking for residents, is occupied by 11 garages owned by the local authority.

However as part the plans the garages will be demolished to make way for three bungalows to help provide “provide long-term housing for residents of Wrexham.”

Plans have now been submitted outlining the demolition of the bungalows, which could begin as soon as January 2024.

Just three of the garages are currently occupied, with the council confirming in October that it was in the process of relocating the tenants.

Although the plans for new social housing on the site was backed unanimously by planning committee members, concerns were raised by local councillors about the loss of parking for existing residents.

Speaking in October Cllr Corin Jarvis, who represents Acton and Maesydre, said: “Due to the new housing legislation and regulations, the new properties will have two car parking spaces per property. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​

“As you can imagine the surrounding residents will lose the parking spaces that they use as the overflow to make way for the houses and the new parking. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​

“I can only speak for myself on this one but I can imagine that in similar circumstances many members would be somewhat annoyed by this if this was in their local area and they were losing parking that they’ve used for years and years. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​

“We have elderly residents and disabled residents who would have to walk a significant way to park on another street.”

At the time planning officer Matthew Phillips agreed that discussions could take place to look at alternative parking provision for existing residents. ‌

The application to demolish the garages on Derwent Crescent will be considered for approval at a later date.​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​