A RETROSPECTIVE application to approve a traveller site between a historic hotel and a Wrexham village has been approved.
Members of Wrexham County Borough Council’s Planning Committee who opposed the plan were also warned that while Wrexham does not have a Local Development Plan (LDP) in place, it has few legal grounds to refuse applications for traveller sites.
The application site on Llyndir Lane in Rossett is on a parcel of agricultural land between Darland High School and Chester Road and the Grade II-listed Llyndir Hall Hotel.
The single-family traveller site has already been constructed by applicant Jerry Berry Junior.
Planning conditions, which Mr Berry agreed to, restricted the site to only two caravans, one stationary, one touring plus a day room/amenity block.
The field behind the site will be used as a pony paddock.
Trevor Mennell, the agent for Mr Berry, told Wrexham County Borough Council’s Planning Committee that his client had worked with planning officers to ensure the site was completed to a high standard.
“This site will provide the family – specifically the children – with an established base from which they could receive a continuous and non‑disrupted education,” he said.
“The family moved on to the site in question in May 2024 and have now occupied it for two years.
“During the planning process, I have worked closely with officers and various challenges such as local policy for traveller sites, Future Wales policies, Natural Resources Wales and the Unitary Development Plan.
“In all it has been sometimes very daunting, stressful and expensive for my client. However, Mr Berry’s motto continually has been to make sure we cross the T’s and dot the I’s.
“The applicant has worked with the authorities, complying with requests and changes to achieve a policy‑compliant, clean and tidy site – a credit to Mr Berry.”
Local member for Rossett Cllr Hugh Jones expressed concerns that the site was in the green wedge and that NRW’s flood data was flawed, leaving the family on the site more vulnerable to flood risk than the data showed.
But Wrexham Council’s Head of Service for Planning and Development Matthew Phillips said that the planning committee could only rule using the official data provided.
Independent Cllr Robert Ian Williams had a different issue with the application – questioning the wisdom of approving a retrospective planning application.
“I have concerns that at the moment there are 10 enforcement orders out from this council over Travellers sites,” he said. “How can it be that people can buy a piece of land and start their planning without permission?
“I do feel that this idea of retrospective planning places everyone in a very precarious situation and I’d like to state that on record that not having an LDP, anything can happen.”
Chair of the Planning Committee Cllr Mike Morris explained that retrospective planning applications are permitted – adding that Wrexham Council’s challenges over Traveller site applications in particular were linked to the withdrawn LDP.
“This partly is of our own making by not adopting the LDP,” he said. “In that LDP we had 22 pitches earmarked for local authority development.
“We haven’t got anything now and we’ve got a statutory responsibility to have places development sites in place for Gypsy and Traveller families.
“So it’s not surprising that people are buying pieces of land and putting applications in and so on and so forth.
“Looking at what we’ve got here, it’s probably a consequence of not adopting the LDP.”
Members of the committee however broadly supported the application, citing the cooperation of the applicant with officers and the importance of ensuring his family has access to the services they need.
