A LEADING Wrexham politician has spoken out after he was accused of creating ‘speculation and assumptions’ over plans for more than 40 new houses.

Gower Homes wants to develop green barrier land off Vicarage Lane in Gresford, which it claims will be worth £7.5 million and create new construction jobs.

County councillor Andrew Atkinson previously said he could not support the scheme for 44 homes because of concerns about the amount of traffic on the road.

Cllr Atkinson, who sits on Wrexham Council’s executive board, also questioned the impact on local health services.

The Wrexham-based developer has now made a formal application to the authority in which they criticised the former Conservative parliamentary candidate for not formally responding to a consultation on the proposal.

In a statement prepared on its behalf,  Gower Homes said he had chosen to express his views on Facebook instead.

They said: “Despite the pre-submission engagement with the local ward councillor Andrew Atkinson where he expressed the view that he suggested to us that he could not support the scheme, he subsequently never made any formal submission to us but instead, as author and keeper of the ‘Gresford News’ Facebook page, he again expressed his opinions and sought to generate community feedback.

“We presented the case that this site out-performs all other alternative sites in Gresford and Cllr Atkinson appeared to agree and accept that all sites would pose highway challenges.

“We drew attention to the mitigation measures and the host of benefits that would be delivered by this scheme and left it with him to reflect on what was being proposed.

“We welcome forensic debate which is informed, accurate and objective but must challenge positions that are based upon speculation and assumptions.”

The company also criticised Gresford Community Council for not inviting the company to a meeting on the plans, which they said was a ‘massive disappointment’.

They described the response of community councillors as ‘vague’ and lacking in detail.

However, Cllr Atkinson has hit back and said he was under no obligation to respond the exercise.

He said: “The comments from the applicant about myself seem extremely odd.

“I have met and engaged with the applicant, I have been straight with them about my views and those of the community that I represent.

“I don’t consider this to be a good application for Gresford and neither do my residents based upon highway concerns, although I have been very balanced in sharing any positive aspects of this application with my residents, which makes these comments seem all the more strange.

“I am under no obligation to respond to the applicant’s consultation and had quite simply decided to save my comments for the official consultation when an application was lodged.

“I don’t understand these comments and it appears to be a strange way to work with the community.”

Wrexham Council is expected to make a decision on the proposals at a later date.