Wrexham is a place where people want to be. We are part of the Wrexham and Flintshire Investment Zone, we have the Town Centre Fund and we have businesses that want to expand their operations here. What we don’t have is a suitable LDP for our city and the surrounding area.
The ongoing issue with Wrexham’s LDP brings into sharp focus the need for a sensible discussion on the future of Wrexham. The reality is there is not enough appropriate housing or rental properties in our area. The LDP which is currently disputed should have been in place from 2013-2028, therefore meaning we haven’t had one for 13 years. The fact Wrexham does not have an LDP means that speculative building has been able to continue for years, without the necessary infrastructure. If this lack of affordable and appropriate housing continues, then young people will move away from the area and our ageing population will not have the support it needs. Our lack of LDP does not serve our community well.
A new LDP is needed, one that carefully considers where housing is built, what type it is and the infrastructure needed to support this, schools, doctors’ surgeries, public transport, active travel and green space etc. The shortage of social and council housing must be addressed. Businesses I speak to want to employ more people and those people need housing. We can seize this opportunity for skilled jobs and to attract younger people to stay in Wrexham. Andrew Ranger MP said, “Ultimately, this is about building communities of the future where people are born in Wrexham, educated and trained here, have employment opportunities and housing options if they want to stay. My hope is that Wrexham County Borough Council and Welsh Government can resolve the current situation, and we can move forward with a plan to benefit Wrexham. I support efforts to bring the community together to create an LDP for Wrexham.”
Wrexham MP calls for formation of new Local Development Plan | The Leader
