Wrexham Henblas Square flats developer wins appeal

Henblas Square has been largely empty for several years

A company building 53 flats above empty shops in Wrexham has won an appeal against a decision to cancel approval.

Councillors backed the Henblas Square scheme last year on condition the Mandale Group paid £300,000 towards the cost of affordable housing elsewhere.

Permission was then withdrawn in April when the developers requested the sum was reduced to just under £29,000.

Planning inspector Kay Sheffield found the decision unreasonable, and the cut justified to make the flats viable.

Henblas Square has been abandoned by several major retailers in recent years and the flats were seen as an opportunity to revitalise the precinct.

The Mandale Group - who had already begun work on site - claimed the amount originally promised for affordable housing would have resulted in them making a loss.

However, some politicians had accused the company of trying to mislead them.

Ms Sheffield said the inconsistencies being challenged were due to the figures for one unit having being omitted from the spreadsheet.

"From my examination of the figures I have no reason to dispute the findings of the updated appraisal," she said, finding in favour of the developers.

"Whilst I understand that a reduced financial contribution will affect the delivery of affordable housing, there is no substantive evidence as to the harm the shortfall in the commuted sum would cause."

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Awarding costs against the authority, Ms Sheffield said councillors had not supported their arguments with enough proof, after planning officers recommended the development go ahead.

"It is acknowledged that members of the council are entitled to take a different view from officers," she said.

"However, in doing so, the council is expected to demonstrate that it had reasonable planning grounds for taking a decision contrary to such advice and produce relevant evidence."

The work is now expected to resume, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.