IT COULD cost up to £60 million to bring the A483 up to an acceptable standard, it has been estimated.

The figure was revealed by Wrexham Council's lead member for planning Councillor David Kelly at this month's meeting of the executive board.

During the meeting, and a discussion about the authorities forthcoming Local Development Plan (LDP), council leader Mark Pritchard said "too much money has been spent on roads in South Wales".

Cllr Pritchard also called for larger subsidies to be paid to transport companies, with bus routes lost due to the collapse of companies such as D Jones and Son, and GHA Coaches.

He added that he had met with Welsh Government economy secretary Ken Skates AM last Friday, who is "fully supportive" of bringing money to Wrexham to improve infrastructure.

Cllr Kelly said current money available, in a pot allocated by the Welsh Government to improve pinch-points across the country, was "nowhere near the amount needed" for just two of the junctions.

He said that just to improve junctions 4 (Ruthin Road interchange) and junction 5 (Mold Road interchange) would "cost £12 million apiece."

Cllr Kelly said: "The cost of bringing the A483 corridor up to an acceptable standard is nearer to £60 million according to estimates our highways officers."

If money does become available from the Welsh Government, work on those junctions could start by 2020/2021.

Road infrastructure is one of the issues faced by Wrexham Council in its proposed Local Development Plan, which will go out to consultation soon, and maps out which land across the county can be developed in the future.

Cllr Kelly said there had been a "rigorous site selection process", and that those included would all need some form of infrastructure improvements, highways changes or funding for education as "part and parcel" of any development.

Llay Cllr Bryan Apsley raised a query about some land included in the plan at Alyn Waters Country Park, where land for a traveller site has been earmarked at Pont Y Capel.

He said he had received information that there could be a covenant on the site. Officers said that they would make checks on that issue before it went out to consultation.

Brymbo Cllr Paul Rogers asked how many planning applications for traveller sites in the county, and told there were two.

Members voted to support the LDP going out to public consultation.