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The Committee considered one planning application, from Mr Alex Loven, to turn five parcels of farmland near Francis Lane, Ridley Wood, into ecological mitigation areas and to build earth banks called bunds. It granted permission in line with the Officers' recommendation. The Committee also noted a quarterly performance report for the planning service and a list of delegated decisions.
The Chair welcomed Councillors Annette Davies, John Phillips and Rondo Roberts to their first Meeting since joining the Committee. He thanked former Committee Members Councillors Dana Davies, Jon Jolley and Fred Roberts for their contributions during their time on the Committee.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Bryan Apsley, Robert Ian Williams and the Lead Member, Councillor Hugh Jones.
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 May 2026 were submitted. RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 May 2026 be signed as a correct record.
There were no declarations of interest submitted.
The Interim Chief Officer Economy & Planning submitted a report (COEP/06/26) asking Members to determine the listed planning applications.
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Decision as recorded
RESOLVED - That permission be granted in accordance with the Officer recommendation.
The Chair welcome Mr Alex Loven to the Meeting who spoke in favour of the application. The Officer presented the report and in doing so, displayed plans of the site to assist with his presentation. A discussion ensued and the following points were raised during the debate: · A correction was noted on page 12 of the report. It was confirmed that Policies 1, 2 and 20 of the Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 were applicable to this application. · Confirmation that in terms of the principle of development, the site lay outside the settlement boundary defined in the UDP. · Officers advised that there were no specific policies in places relating to wildlife corridors. · The proposed plans confirmed that the existing right of way would be retained. · It was confirmed that the proposed bunds would be landscaped. While this would not fully screen them, their visual impact would be limited to the immediate locality. · The proposals were not expected to give rise to significant noise or other disturbance to nearby properties. · Suggestion that a Construction Traffic Management Plan could address concerns raised by Highways Officers, although the development was considered unlikely to have a significant impact on highway safety. · The Chair, speaking as Local Member, raised concerns regarding connectivity between the parcels of land. It was noted that a continuous corridor would be maintained, as the applicant owned all but one of the plots. · Further concern was expressed regarding the creation of the bunds. The applicant advised that material would be sourced from within the existing site and transported no more than approximately half a mile. The bunds would be viewed against the backdrop of existing built development within Wrexham Industrial Estate. · Confirmation that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had recommended a 25 year period for ongoing site maintenance. RESOLVED - That permission be granted in accordance with the Officer recommendation.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED – That the report be noted.
The Interim Chief Officer Economy & Planning submitted a report (COEP/39/26) to provide the Committee with updates on the performance of the Council’s Planning Service for reporting period Quarter 4 of the financial year 2025-26 and staff resourcing. A discussion ensued and the following points were made: · Confirmation that the Department continued to fall short of the average determination timeframe. A small number of complex enforcement cases had impacted caseloads, alongside staff turnover and the ongoing issue relating to phosphates. · During the reporting period, 8 cost awards were made by Planning Inspectors, exceeding the Welsh Government’s target of 2 per annum. These awards related to cases where planning conditions had been imposed that were not necessary and were judged to be unreasonable. As a result, a Workshop had been arranged to review the guidance, particularly the tests required to justify the use of conditions. · Staffing pressures remained a concern. A Senior Planning Officer post had been vacant since January. Although an appointment had been made, the individual subsequently accepted another role elsewhere, and the post would now be re-advertised. · As reported in Quarter 3, two additional Lead Officer posts would be created which would significantly improve the Manager to Officer ratios. · Recognition that Highways Officers were also under considerable pressure, which continued to affect overall timescales. RESOLVED – That the report be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED – That the list of delegated decisions be noted.
The Interim Chief Officer Economy & Planning submitted a list of delegated decisions for the period 1 April 2026 to 30 April 2026. RESOLVED – That the list of delegated decisions be noted.