Latest news with #HarworthGroup
Leader Live
6 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Wrexham councillors vow to fight Cefn Road 900 homes plan
An outline planning application has been submitted for up to 900 new homes on land off Cefn Road. It has been lodged by Harworth Group for a development named Erlas Park - located close to the Erlas Victorian Walled Garden and Wrexham Rugby Club. The proposed development site is mainly made up of open grassland and a smaller area of woodland. The proposed development site layout. (Image: Planning documents) The land had been earmarked as part of Wrexham's Local Development Plan (LDP). Last year, Cllr Marc Jones won a landmark Court of Appeal case over the controversial LDP. The Court of Appeal ruling quashed the High Court judgment of Mr Justice Eyre made in December 2023 and dismissed the controversial judicial review brought by developers seeking to force through a local plan rejected in April and June 2023 by a cross-party majority of Wrexham councillors. The Welsh Government then lost its appeal against the decision at the Supreme Court earlier this year. Cllr Andy Gallanders, representing the Rhosnesni ward, said: 'I was disappointed to learn today that a fresh application has been submitted to the authority for up to 900 dwellings off Cefn Road. Cllr Andy Gallanders (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service) 'I urge all residents to submit comments to the consultation. The site has been on the cards with the now failed LDP and we'd hoped the developers would have heard the voices of the people of Wrexham. 'If this site is allowed to be developed on it would cause a huge disruption for residents of Rhosnesni with a decade of building works and loss of valuable green space." He added: 'This isn't a case of nimbyism but an honest look at the infrastructure we have in the area. For example, The Greyhound roundabout has been declared 'at capacity' by highways with very minor changes proposed. This is just one example but look at the GPs and schools - all struggling for a multitude of reasons. 'We need homes, of course we do, but they have to come with the infrastructure, be affordable for our residents and not at the cost of green land.' What the Erlas Park development would look like. (Image: Planning documents) Cllr Carrie Harper, whose Caia ward is adjacent to the proposed site, said: 'The majority of councillors voted against adopting the LDP precisely because of development proposals like this. This scale of development will damage Wrexham. 'There is undoubtedly no need for it, especially with over 3,000 houses locally already having planning permission and not yet built. These houses won't be affordable for the vast majority and development on this scale will put huge pressure on local services and infrastructure." Cllr Carrie Harper (Image: Newsquest) She continued: 'It's important to remember that councillors were threatened with jail for refusing to adopt the plan which included this site. Some faced a six-month police investigation by North Wales Police and other complaints against councillors are still ongoing. 'Despite everything thrown at us, we won the argument at the Court of Appeal and ultimately the Supreme Court. They backed the local democratic process and our right not to accept this plan. "This was no easy victory, we had to crowd fund to finance lawyers to take on the Welsh Government, Wrexham Council and a series of developers who were all determined to force this plan on us." MORE NEWS: Cllr Harper added: 'Following the court case, there is no planning framework to support this application, the LDP has been legally quashed. "The likely situation is that Wrexham will now revert the previous Unitary Development Plan and its policies, which set out that this development site is outside of settlement and should not be granted planning permission. "Campaigners will fight this development all the way, it's not morally or legally acceptable to try and force these developments on our city following the court case.'
Leader Live
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
Planning application submitted for 900 new homes in Wrexham
An outline planning application has been submitted by Harworth Group to Wrexham Council for the proposed scheme on land known as Erlas Park - situated to the east of Cefn Road. The proposed site is located close to the Erlas Victorian Walled Garden and Wrexham Rugby Club, and is mainly made up of open grassland and a smaller area of woodland. The proposed site location. (Image: Planning documents) The site has been a key part of Plaid Cymru councillors' fight against the adoption of Wrexham Council's Local Development Plan (LDP). Last year, Cllr Marc Jones won a landmark Court of Appeal case over the controversial LDP. The Court of Appeal ruling quashed the High Court judgment of Mr Justice Eyre made in December 2023 and dismissed the controversial judicial review brought by developers seeking to force through a local plan rejected in April and June 2023 by a cross-party majority of Wrexham councillors. However, an outline planning application has now been submitted for around 900 homes on the site - 20 per cent of which would be designated affordable housing. A design and access statement submitted with the application says: "Erlas Park provides the opportunity to create an attractive, well-connected, high-quality mixed tenure residential neighbourhood with community infrastructure, greenspace and educational and recreational opportunities. "Erlas Park will serve to maximise and deliver the principles of sustainable placemaking for a new community to the east of Wrexham. The benefits of locating new housing growth directly adjacent to the main urban core of Wrexham is a logical and highly sustainable ambition." In terms of access, the design and access says: "Vehicular access to the site will be via Cefn Road, making use of the site frontage along the eastern side of this road. "Whilst the northern part of the site also has frontage with Bryn Estyn Road, it is not appropriate to form a vehicle access onto this road due to its more rural nature, however an emergency access point can be provided here. "Two primary points of access are proposed to serve the residential development: one at the northwestern parcel of the site and one at the south-western parcel of the site. A secondary southern access is also proposed to provide emergency access and additional permeability." (Image: Planning documents) The land to the north of Bryn Estyn Road, is referred to as 'KSS2 (north)' and is being promoted by Barratt and Bloor Homes for 600 new homes. The original application was refused permission in July 2020 and is subject of an outstanding planning appeal. MORE NEWS: The statement adds: "The proposals allow for the provision of a link road connecting the site to the wider KSS2 site allocation to the north to provide connectivity as per the requirements of the Local Plan policy relating to KSS2." There are also proposals for a 10km cycle track and 5km running route on the site. The application, which seeks permission on the broad principles of the development before detailed plans are submitted, will be considered by Wrexham Council at a later date.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Green belt Nimbys are ruining young people's lives, warns developer
Green belt Nimbys are wrecking the lives of young people by blocking developments that create much-needed jobs, one of Britain's biggest developers has warned. Lynda Shillaw, chief executive of FTSE 250 group Harworth Group, said objection to construction projects on green belt land was stopping the creation of local opportunities for younger generations. Ms Shillaw told The Telegraph: 'The biggest voting generation today went through the closure of pits and people not having jobs for 40 years – but now they're more bothered about whether that field there is going to be built on. That stops development. '[We're] looking at a whole generation of young people whose life chances are significantly diminished, because we can't bring jobs or skills to an area that needs it. 'I grew up in a Yorkshire mining village, so this really resonates with me. It's not just about their economic wellbeing their ability to earn, learn a trade or a profession and progress. It's about their health outcomes, which are much worse as well. 'So actually, we've got to get over having a relative minority blocking stuff that's for the greater good.' Her views echo Sir Keir Starmer, who has vowed to 'push past Nimbyism' to unlock major development projects. The Prime Minister's planning reforms have redesignated large swathes of green belt land as 'grey belt' areas – making it easier to build homes on. The green belt was introduced in 1947 to contain post-war urban sprawl but it has since grown to cover nearly 13pc of all land in England. Harworth owns 14,000 acres of land across Britain and recently sold land to Mike Ashley's Frasers Group for its global headquarters on the green belt in Warwickshire. Its housing projects include turning a former coal mining site in Yorkshire into a 3,890-home neighbourhood called Waverley. Government policy over the past two decades has focused on developing 'brownfield' land, the term used for used land that has been left derelict and can be redeveloped. However, Ms Shillaw said the policy meant there was 'simply not enough' brownfield land in Britain to build on. 'It feels wrong that something that happened post-war has not been repeatedly revised in terms of what [the Government] needs to deliver its industrial strategy. 'The battle over the green belt is a challenge, but it's also a total red herring, because if you want growth, you need to look at where the best places are to spend your pounds.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
04-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Green belt Nimbys are ruining young people's lives, warns developer
Green belt Nimbys are wrecking the lives of young people by blocking developments that create much-needed jobs, one of Britain's biggest developers has warned. Lynda Shillaw, chief executive of FTSE 250 group Harworth Group, said objection to construction projects on green belt land was stopping the creation of local opportunities for younger generations. Ms Shillaw told The Telegraph: 'The biggest voting generation today went through the closure of pits and people not having jobs for 40 years – but now they're more bothered about whether that field there is going to be built on. That stops development. '[We're] looking at a whole generation of young people whose life chances are significantly diminished, because we can't bring jobs or skills to an area that needs it. 'I grew up in a Yorkshire mining village, so this really resonates with me. It's not just about their economic wellbeing their ability to earn, learn a trade or a profession and progress. It's about their health outcomes, which are much worse as well. 'So actually, we've got to get over having a relative minority blocking stuff that's for the greater good.' Her views echo Sir Keir Starmer, who has vowed to 'push past Nimbyism' to unlock major development projects. The Prime Minister's planning reforms have redesignated large swathes of green belt land as 'grey belt' areas – making it easier to build homes on. The green belt was introduced in 1947 to contain post-war urban sprawl but it has since grown to cover nearly 13pc of all land in England. Harworth owns 14,000 acres of land across Britain and recently sold land to Mike Ashley's Frasers Group for its global headquarters on the green belt in Warwickshire. Its housing projects include turning a former coal mining site in Yorkshire into a 3,890-home neighbourhood called Waverley. Government policy over the past two decades has focused on developing 'brownfield' land, the term used for used land that has been left derelict and can be redeveloped. However, Ms Shillaw said the policy meant there was 'simply not enough' brownfield land in Britain to build on. 'It feels wrong that something that happened post-war has not been repeatedly revised in terms of what [the Government] needs to deliver its industrial strategy. 'The battle over the green belt is a challenge, but it's also a total red herring, because if you want growth, you need to look at where the best places are to spend your pounds.'
