A BID to increase the number of houses which can be built on a successful appeal site in Wrexham looks set to be approved.
It comes despite people living in Chirk reacting angrily when Wrexham Council’s decision to reject proposals to create 22 houses on land north of Station Avenue was overturned by a planning inspector last summer.
Edwards Homes Limited now wants to add an extra two properties to the scheme.
Chirk Community Council has insisted that the developers should stick to the original amount, but the local authority’s chief planning officer has recommended the latest application should be accepted.
In a report due to go before county councillors next week, Lawrence Isted said it would have a positive impact on the area.
He said: “As the site is within the settlement limit and outline planning permission has already been granted on the site, there can be no objection in principle to its residential development.
“Whilst providing much needed housing in a sustainable location, this proposal offers the opportunity to regenerate and visually enhance the area.
“On-site parking provision is acceptable for this sustainable location and a safe and satisfactory vehicular access has been proposed.
“Further, the proposed soft landscaping and replacement tree planting will be of benefit not only to the visual amenities within the development, but to the appearance of the locality as a whole.
“I have considered the impact of the development upon the residential amenities of the occupiers of the existing adjacent properties and concluded that there will be no significant detrimental impact.”
The plans were initially thrown out in August 2017 after councillors said they would result in the loss of two protected trees in the Chirk Conservation Area.
It came after planning committee members were told the trees were originally believed to have been planted to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo.
However, an inspector appointed by the Welsh Government ruled that the trees were of ‘diminished value’ because of their current condition and overturned their decision.
Iwan Lloyd also said in his report that there was ‘no tangible evidence’ to support the claim regarding their origin.
Councillors will meet at Wrexham’s Guildhall on Monday to discuss the latest application.
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