By Sarah Atherton

MP for Wrexham

According to reports, Wrexham Council is conducting a review into how the Planning Committee and Planning Services work – this is an unusual step but one that, given recent planning decisions and issues within the planning system in Wrexham, will likely be welcome by many across the town.

Indeed, as we rebuild from the pandemic, supporting our local economy, Wrexham’s high street businesses and people, it is important that we have a planning system fit for purpose and a council that is willing to uphold planning decisions and make decisions quickly and efficiently.

Across the UK the importance of the planning system often goes unnoticed. Up and down the country the planning system is a vital cog in any local economy, controlling whether new businesses can open, develop, and expand, whilst also impacting local employment across many sectors. As such, it is important to make sure these systems work effectively, otherwise the effects can be widespread.

In Wrexham there are, unfortunately, some striking examples of issues within the planning system which are concerning.

Recently, I was dismayed to learn the full extent of the problems at the Crown Crossroads in Llay, where the planned upgrades to the junction infrastructure – which were promised as part of the Annwyl/Bellway Homes planning application for new homes nearby – has still not gone ahead despite assurances to residents that it would.

The impact of this lack of action is devasting for many individuals in our community. Residents of Llay, as well as local councillors, have told me all about their frustrations with the current situation at the Crown Crossroads, describing the congestion as unhealthy and unpleasant, whilst also describing the lack of infrastructure for pedestrians as dangerous, putting people at risk.

However, for our local economy the effect is also worrying.

Aldi, who have planning permission for a new site in Llay, have said that they will not build their planned new supermarket until the infrastructure upgrades are complete. Therefore, the lack of action from the planners to enforce the decisions they have made is directly impacting our economy by preventing the building of the new store, which would have pumped money into the area through job creation and increased investment.

The recent, and well publicised, issues relating to the Low Carbon Farming application for a sustainable greenhouse project are another example of note. Low Carbon Farming use innovative and sustainable techniques to grow high-quality produce; their plans, worth £50 million, to build commercial greenhouses near Wrexham would have brought 150 new jobs to the area and could have supplied 40 per cent of all tomatoes consumed in Wales.

On this occasion, the slow action from the Planning Department meant that the applicants missed out on important UK Government grants. As a Member of Parliament elected on a manifesto of bringing more jobs to Wrexham, it was sad that attempts to bring an excellent new business to our town was hampered by stasis within the local Planning Department.

Importantly, at a local level the actions of the Planning Department also influence the lives of builders, electricians, plumbers, building merchants and many more individuals, families, and businesses. For these people it is also important that we have an efficient and reasonable planning system in place for our town to ensure that they have certainty too. Therefore, I hope that we see Wrexham Council’s Planning Department change and improve so that it can support our local economy and community as it should.

As always if you are resident in Wrexham and need my assistance with any local or national issue, please make contact with me by emailing sarah.atherton.mp@parliament.uk.