Wrexham AFC lodge plans for new youth academy in Darland

The formal plans for the new youth academy at Darland school are now public, showing the new buildings and pitches that are being constructed on the site.

The works for the change of use has already started in Darland, with the detailed development plan now submitted to the council for formal approval.

Back in July the club and Darland School announced Heads of Terms had been signed over the academy with planning underway since November.

The application states, “The delivery of a new Academy training facility at Darland High School is considered a key component in the Club gaining status as an EFL Category 3 Academy from the 2024/25 season, following a successful Full Audit Assessment. The training facility will be used by the WAFC Academy teams, from ages nine to 18.”

“This Application seeks to provide two new buildings to support the proposed Academy, which will include changing rooms as well as a small ancillary office, plant areas, meeting rooms, medical room, medical office, gymnasium, and a new classroom. A further building consisting of two shipping containers is proposed in the south east of the playing fields to serve the pitches.”

In addition, five pitches of varying sizes for use by its Academy teams will be constructed on the playing fields, albeit this forms an existing use and so is not subject to planning.

The academy will have 9 age groups from Under 9’s to Under 18’s, with a total of 120 players and 35 staff/coaches (full time and part time). Training will take place on all weeknights, with matches played on weekends.

The plans were lodged on the 2nd of August and validated by Wrexham Council two weeks later. It is likely to come before committee towards the latter part of October.

The application notes that the proposed site is in the Local Development Plan as “within the green wedge between Rossett and Trevalyn, which is protected under Policy SP6. The intention of this is to ensure protection of the openness of the land in the current plan period. However, paragraph 3.75 of PPW confirms that the construction of new buildings for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation, and other uses of land which maintain the openness of the green wedge and which do not conflict with the purpose of including land within it, is not considered to be inappropriate development in the green wedge.

Adding the applicants believe development is within policy for green wedge works, “Nonetheless, the buildings are small and modest in size and therefore maintain the openness, with Building 1 located within the main campus of the school. Therefore, the development proposals are not considered to contradict LDP Policy SP6.”

Block 1 is located closest to the school and is situated north of the existing Scout hut, it consists of changing rooms, and a small ancillary office and plant areas.

Block 2 is located further south on the eastern side of the existing Scout building, consisting of, staff changing rooms, meeting rooms, a medical room, medical office, gymnasium, a classroom and ancillary office space.

Further south east of Block 1 and 2 are facilities for the grounds person and will be accessed from Gamford Lane. This is made up of two shipping containers which will be used as a storage area to serve the pitches.

Some local concerns voiced are around the increase in traffic around the site, with a ‘travel note’ detailing in the application, “On the same site as the school is Darland Leisure & Activity Centre, which operates outside of school hours 17:00-22:00 on weekdays and 09:00-17:00 on weekends. The activities and movements associated with the school and the leisure centre will remain unchanged and unaffected by the academy proposals.”

“Anecdotally, there appears to be ample capacity in the car parks,” with Sunday modelled to be the busiest period “with the highest concentration of trips occurring when visitors depart at 13:00, when 124 two-way trips could occur, which is equivalent to two trips per minute. The maximum parking demand is typically 42 parked cars whilst the matches are happening, and then a turnover will occur once they finish and whilst parents arrive to pick-up children. This will be concentrated over a short period of time”, adding “… there is approximately 170 parking spaces on the site, and the peak academy uses occur primarily outside of the school hours, in the evenings and on weekends. The existing car parking capacity of the site will be significantly underutilised at these times, and sufficiently able to accommodate the demands generated by the academy uses.”

Readers will be long aware of planning application in the area being discussed in terms of flood risk, with the application stating, “The Site is located in Flood Zone B according to NRW’s Development Advice Map, which are areas known to have been flooded in the past, however is considered to be suitable for most forms of development.”

The Local Development Plan is also being leant on, noting that a policy related to ‘Regional Sports Stadia’ states that the continued use of a number of sports stadia, including the STōK Cae Ras / Racecourse “will be safeguarded”. That is being directly linked to the application in Darland as “…the policy notes that any development which would result in the loss of principal use at the Site will not be permitted. Development proposals which enhance existing facilities at the named stadia, including the STōK Cae Ras, will be supported.” There is no indication of how, or if, the Racecourse would be under threat if the application was refused.

The application concludes, “The delivery of a new Academy training facility at Darland High School is considered a key component in the Club gaining status as an EFL Category 3 Academy from the 2024/25 season, following a successful Full Audit Assessment. The training facility will be used by the WAFC Academy teams, from ages nine to 18. The proposed Academy buildings will enable the development and education of young athletes both on and off the pitch.”

We are told there is a joined up communication plan around the publication of the planning application, however no comment or extra information has been received.