Wrexham rejects local plan
It has been more than a decade since the North Wales county had an up-to-date strategic planning framework, a fact that failed to move councillors on Wednesday night.
Wrexham County Council refused to adopt the Wrexham Local Development Plan 2013 – 2028 at an extraordinary council meeting in a tight 27-23 vote.
The local plan would have outlined where and how much development could take place in the county, including allocating space for more than 8,000 homes to be built. The plan would have been used when evaluating planning applications, replacing the previous unitary development plan that expired in 2011.
The local development plan had already passed inspection by the Welsh Government, despite being held up by inspectors over phosphate concerns. Approval by the council was the final hurdle to jump before the plan could become policy.
Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the council, said: “The matter has been through the democratic process and the decision at the full council meeting yesterday was not to adopt the local development plan. The matter must now be referred to Welsh Government, who will decide the next steps and timescales.”
Non-adoption of the plan has several possible consequences. In addition to reputational damage, the councillors were warned that the Welsh government may remove the council’s plan-making powers so that the Senedd can guarantee a local plan can be put into place. The Welsh government said it would undertake due deliberations before taking any action regarding the local plan refusal.
Without an updated local development plan, the old unitary development plan will continue to be in effect. There are several issues with the UDP, according to the council. This includes the fact that not all of its policies align with the latest national planning policies. The UDP has also proven ineffective of late, with applications and appeals being allowed that do not comply with its contents.
In not adopting the local plan, Wrexham County Council is opening itself up to an increased risk of development on land that the local plan had sought to protect – as well as the risk of losing planning appeals when applications on these areas are denied.
There’s another issue surrounding not adopting the local development plan, according to committee papers.
“The LDP sets out growth levels and a spatial strategy that informs infrastructure provision by utility companies, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, education and transport providers – without an LDP, it is difficult for infrastructure providers to plan investment,” the report states.
Wrexham County Council is far from the only local authority waiting to get the go-ahead to implement a local plan. Places for Everyone, the spatial framework for nine of the Greater Manchester local authorities, is currently awaiting the green light from inspectors – but has faced political opposition of its own.
Tagging PfE on the end there was a bit tenuous, notwithstanding the differences between England and Wales in terms of national frameworks etc. The PfE process has been fraught at times but the nine authorities haven’t got a post-report plan to decide on. Let’s come back to that, if/when it happens.
Would be interested to know what reasons were given for rejecting the plan. Was it the usual failure to be brave about meeting housing need, as has been the case in so many places in England, or was it something else/more?
By Unlevelled for balance
fruitcakes – wrexham closed for business – WG need to get a grip
By disney - fantasy planning
I hope Mr Porter is well-briefed on the Southport/Sefton sensitivity, although that final comment suggests not. Meanwhile, back to the acting career for Dwayne Johnson?
By Michael Turner
Let’s have a pause on house building until the proper infrastructure is in place. More families put increased pressure on overstretched services such as doctor’s surgeries, schools and hospital capacity.
By Anonymous
Members need to start listening to the advice of their professional planning officers. Officers who deal with planning issues based upon evidence. Not having an LDP is a worse position to be in than having one which they dont all agree with. Waste of officer and council resource.
By Anonymous
I have been a planner for nearly forty years and have never heard of a council voting down its own plan. The councilors who did this are not fit to hold public office.
By Jon Talbot