CONTROVERSIAL proposals have been unveiled to build 10,000 new homes in Wrexham.
But they have been slammed by community leaders who say it could see the town’s population swell by thousands and put huge pressure on already overstretched services.
Wrexham Council intends to build 8,000 new homes in the county as part of the local development plan running until 2021, but the Cardiff-based Planning Inspectorate has advised the authority to increase that figure by another 2,000.
Marc Jones, Plaid group leader, said: “Wrexham is already over-developed and these plans would see the town's population surge by as much as another 26,000.
“We need to put the needs of our communities before the demands of housing developers.”
Cllr Arfon Jones said: “We believe the current housing numbers in the LDP are already too high and an additional 2,000 homes will clearly have a hugely detrimental impact locally.
“There has been consultation with local people during the preparation of the plan and thousands of locals clearly said they did not want to see Wrexham over-developed.”
Plaid councillor Carrie Harper, a member of the panel preparing the LDP, said: “These houses are not needed, will not be affordable for the majority of local people and will put huge pressure on our services and infrastructure.
“The plans will no doubt also have a huge impact on the character and identity of our town.”
A petition against the proposal and asking for the plans to be recalled and redesigned based on genuine local need has now been lodged by Plaid Cymru with the Government’s petition committee.
Mark Pritchard, leading member for planning and housing, believes the advice given by the inspectorate was based on out of date figures and vowed the council would not be bullied into agreeing the inflated figure.
He said: “The inspectorate’s proposal is based on growth from 2003-08 and is not an accurate representation of the housing market and the economy at the moment.
“We would need to free up more land and the public has made it very clear it doesn’t want to lose any more green space.
“To bend to the inspectorate would be undemocratic and we certainly won’t be bullied into it by the inspectorate or the Government.”
Pol Wong, a member of Deffro’r Ddraig (Wake the Dragon), a movement which challenges housing developments the group believe threaten communities, said: “This proposal will damage the environment, the community and our heritage and identity.
“Even 8,000 is far too many as we’re already seeing estates being built like in Brymbo without enough schools, hospitals and transport networks to support them.”
But a spokesman for the Welsh Government claims the inspectorate’s recommendations were just guidelines, not demands.
“All local authorities have access to the methodology and data enabling them to formulate their own level of housing provision.
“The Welsh Government does not dictate to local authorities on housing provision – this is a matter for local authorities and communities to determine.
“All members of the community are able to express their views on the LDP and can make their views known to an independently appointed inspector who will consider any concerns.”
l AS revealed in the Leader last week, a review of Wrexham’s planning policy came to a halt after Welsh Government inspectors raised “significant concerns”.
Welsh Government officials took the shock move of stopping a series of public hearings on Wrexham’s new Local Development Plan (LDP) after the opening week.
The Planning Inspectorate for Wales cited concerns over an apparent under-provision of housing in the plan for why the proceedings were frozen until after a meeting with the council on February 23.