Rossett housing rejected after NHS 'pressure' warning

Planning officers had said the scheme would help meet future housing needs

Plans for more than 130 homes near Wrexham have been rejected.

Health bosses opposed plans to develop land near the village of Rossett, which was voted down by 12 votes to three by the local council on Monday.

The Rossett surgery already suffered from staff shortages, recruitment problems and inadequate premises, the Betsi Cadwaladr health board said.

Before the meeting, planning officers said it had not provided evidence of the need for extra NHS capacity.

Developer Bellis Brothers Limited said the scheme on two sites near Lane Farm would play a "key part" in the village's growth, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, the health board claimed the Alyn Family Doctors practice, which runs surgeries at Gresford, Llay and Rossett, had been "experiencing difficulties in ensuring the stability of their service, largely due to staffing shortages and difficulties in recruitment".

"The practice list size is increasing and the current accommodation is inadequate for the needs of a modern general practice of 13,000 patients," the board said, adding that there was "no further capacity to expand".

Despite these concerns, planning officers at Wrexham council recommended the scheme be approved. There were also a large number of other concerns, including flood risk and the loss of green land.

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In a report to Monday's planning committee meeting, head of environment and planning Lawrence Isted said there was "an overriding need" for the scheme to help meet housing requirements identified in the local development plan.

He said these "very exceptional circumstances" outweighed the objections.

However, councillors on the committee rejected the proposals.