Wrexham housing plans lose support of council leader's party

Councils are required to draw up a local development plan to reflect expected housing and business needs

The leader of Wrexham council has been asked to apologise after his group withdrew backing for its own housing blueprint for the area.

The long-delayed local development plan (LDP) sets out where 8,000 new homes should be built in the county borough.

Planning inspectors have questioned how land in Alyn Waters Country Park was chosen for a Gypsy and traveller site.

Leader Mark Pritchard said following their query his Independent group had "lost confidence" in the process.

An earlier version of the LDP was rejected in 2012 by Welsh Government inspectors, who said 11,700 houses were needed.

Plaid Cymru group leader Councillor Carrie Harper called on Mr Pritchard to apologise for having put "a lot of pressure" on councillors to approve a revised plan in 2018.

She claimed the housing numbers were being driven by demand from the north-west of England for "unacceptable" commuter estates rather than from Wrexham itself.

A proposal for a Gypsy and traveller site at Alyn Waters Country Park has been controversial

"It's embarrassing, frankly, that Wrexham is the only council in Wales to have its LDP refused once and now faces having it refused again," Ms Harper said.

"The buck has to stop with someone and that should be the council leader, who has been a strong advocate of this plan from the outset."

• Second look at potential Gypsy and traveller sites

• Council rejects call to add 3,000 homes to plan

• Anger as 800 affordable homes cut from local plan

In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Pritchard said the Independent group had discussed a letter from inspectors about the proposed Gypsy and traveller sites.

"The letter expressed very serious reservations regarding the inclusion of a site which is in a country park and green wedge, particularly that its inclusion conflicts with national planning policy," the statement said.

"The Independent Group on Wrexham County Borough Council has lost confidence in the process and unanimously decided that it will no longer support the LDP."

A call by Plaid Cymru to scrap the LDP is due to be discussed by councillors in December.