RESIDENTS in Wrexham have reacted with ‘outrage’ after a plan suggesting possible sites for around 8,000 new homes was approved.

However, they have vowed to fight on after politicians in Wrexham backed the submission of the county’s Local Development Plan to an independent inspector by 30 votes to 17 yesterday (DEL THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER).

It went through despite strong opposition and claims the blueprint was ‘fundamentally flawed’.

The concerns raised centred mainly on the scale of development, as well as the potential location of three gypsy and traveller sites in Brymbo, Hanmer and Llay.

Llay councillor Rob Walsh (Lib Dem), one of those who voted against the plan, believes the decision has caused members of the public to lose further trust in Wrexham Council.

He said: “The people are absolutely outraged and again it’s damaging people’s perception of democracy.

“It’s the hurt time and time again which this community has had to put up with.

“I’m certainly not giving up as I believe, and so do the people of Llay, that this is wrong.

“Some of the flaws are so serious and I think for some of the councillors the penny hasn’t dropped yet, but one day it will.”

Meanwhile, the news has also been greeted with anger by residents in Brymbo where a gypsy and traveller site is proposed on land at Coedyfelin Road, which used to be home to a sewerage works.

Issues raised by campaigners included road safety, following  a number of collisions on the road, and the unknown cost of decontaminating the site.

Brymbo councillor Paul Rogers (Con), who also fought against the plan, said he would continue to support his constituents when it is considered through a public examination.

He said: “There’s a lot of dismay in the community that basically it has not been a meaningful consultation exercise.

“I was disappointed by the outcome and I think the reality is that even though some members said it didn’t affect their areas, the plan overall will affect hospitals, schools and roads in the area.

“For those reasons, as well as the gypsy and traveller site, I couldn’t support it.

“This isn’t the final decision and I will be standing with my residents in fighting this all the way.”

One councillor who supported submitting the plan said he has received personal abuse for his decision.

Cllr Andrew Atkinson, who lives in Llay but represents Gresford, said most of it was focused on the selection of the nearby gypsy and traveller site on Pont Y Capel Lane.

But the former Conservative parliamentary candidate said he felt backing the proposals was the only way for people in Wrexham to maintain influence over them.

He said: “I voted to represent my residents in Gresford as the majority requested of me, as well as what I believe to be the best option for residents of communities like Llay.

“I believe that if we had all voted against the LDP, the Welsh Government would have stepped in and implemented the plan anyway with zero influence locally.

“This would be a terrible scenario for Wrexham as we’ve already seen the impact on Llay when Cardiff takes over decision making on planning.”

The plan will be submitted at the end of the month and an inspector appointed by the Welsh Government will then hold a number of hearings throughout the summer

They will then publish a final report at the end of 2019, which will be binding on the council.

Cllr Atkinson added that he felt people had not understood the purpose of the vote.

He said: “There is confusion locally over what the vote was for which is a reason that I’ve taken such personal abuse.

“This was not a single issue vote and those of us that voted for it didn’t endorse all aspects of the plan we simply agreed to pass it to the inspector for examination in public.

“It’s at this stage we can challenge individual aspects like the Llay site, and that is exactly what I will be doing.”