Plans for dog-walking paddock on former golf course in Wrexham village

Plans to turn an old golf course in a Wrexham village into a dog-walking paddock could be approved despite concerns about the impact on green wedge land.

An application was submitted in July last year to change the use of an agricultural site off Chester Road in Lavister, near Rossett, which was previously part of the Darland Golf Course.

The Woollam family, who are behind the proposals, said the scheme would provide a secure place for dog owners to walk their pets off the lead.

A senior official from Wrexham Council has now advised councillors to grant permission for the development ahead of a planning committee meeting next week.

The recommendation by the local authority’s chief planning officer David Fitzsimon comes despite objections from community leaders and 23 nearby residents.

Their main concerns relate to the loss of agricultural land, as well as flooding, traffic and waste disposal issues.

However, Mr Fitzsimon said in a report that the proposals would not cause significant harm to the area.

He said: “The proposed development would provide a secure paddock for local people and visitors to use as a safe and secure area to exercise their dogs off the lead but under the supervision of their owners.

“In addition, it would provide the opportunity to train anxious, elderly or deaf dogs, and dogs with little or no recall, in a place where there are fewer distractions.

“Policy allows for recreation facilities which maintain the openness of the green wedge and do not conflict with the purpose of including the land within it.

“No buildings are proposed, and the only physical development would be the hard surfacing required to form the access and parking area.

“Accordingly, the proposed development would not impact upon the openness of green wedge.”

Among those who objected to the scheme are members of Rossett Community Council and local Wrexham Council member Ross Shepherd.

The Conservative councillor described access to the site as “poor” and said the land should not be developed.

The nine-hole golf course located near the Wales-England border was originally created in 1999 and run on a “pay and play” basis.

The business closed in July 2014 after the site was sold for agricultural use, but Mr Fitzsimon said it had only been utilised for farming “intermittently” since then.

Addressing the other issues raised, he added: “The council’s highways officer has not raised any highway safety concerns about the traffic generated by the development and has advised that adequate visibility is achievable at the site access.

“If the site were flooded, then it would not be used and it is considered that users of the site would be able to safely exit if water levels were rising.”

If approved, planning documents show the dog-walking facility would be available to book seven days a week between the hours of 7am and 9pm.

The application states that booking slots will last up to 55 minutes and owners will not be able to turn up without an appointment.

Agents acting for the Woollam family said measures would be put in place to protect against dog thefts following a sharp rise in offences in recent years, as well as dog waste bins.

A decision will be made on the proposals at a meeting at Wrexham’s Guildhall on Monday (September 2, 2024).

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter