The Wrexham County Borough Council Planning Committee met on 12 September 2025 to conduct a site visit and then convene at the Guildhall to discuss a planning application. The main item for consideration was an application concerning the British Legion Social Club in Llay. The committee was scheduled to determine whether to approve the erection of nine dwellings and the formation of a new vehicular access at the site.

British Legion Social Club, Watts Dyke, Llay

The committee was scheduled to consider application P/2024/1070 from MR DAN ANDREWS of SG ESTATES LTD, seeking full planning permission for the erection of nine dwellings and a new vehicular and pedestrian access at the British Legion Social Club, Watts Dyke, Llay, Wrexham, LL12 0RL.

The application site has historically formed part of the curtilage of the Royal British Legion club, located to the north-east of the club with frontages onto Llay New Road and Watts Dyke.

The report pack stated that Llay Community Council raised concerns that the amenity for residents of Watts Dyke, Llay New Road, Ffordd Madoc, Penderyn Way, and Treweryn Close have been badly affected by current development, and it will be exacerbated by further development. They also raised concerns about noise investigations, pressure on health facilities, public open space and green infrastructure, thresholds for planning obligations, pressures on infrastructure, space around dwellings, sport and recreational facilities, reduction in parking, community facilities and the safety of the access off Watt's Dyke.

Councillor Bryan Apsley, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, requested the application be reported to the Planning Committee, sharing similar concerns to the Community Council, and also raising concerns about possible breaches of SP5 with public open space and green infrastructure. Councillor Rob Walsh also raised concerns about pressure on the community’s health provision, the cancellation of plans for a retail unit, and the lack of a retail unit in the southern part of Llay.

Natural Resources Wales advised that inadequate information had been submitted regarding foul drainage, and recommended consideration be given to whether the development would increase the volume of foul water discharged from the site and if the development is likely to have a significant effect on the River Dee and Bala Lake Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Dwr Cymru Welsh Water raised no objection, confirming that there is capacity within the public sewer network to receive domestic foul flows from the development and that Gresford Wastewater Treatment Works has a phosphate permit.

The Highway Officer raised no objection, commenting that the traffic onto Watts Dyke would be less than a 5% increase, and that there is adequate distance from the junction for refuse collection and turning.

The Ecology Officer raised no objection, but recommended amendments to the proposed landscaping scheme to include native species hedgerow planting and some larger trees.

The Public Protection Officer commented that the Noise Impact Assessment (NIA) has assessed the noise impact of traffic on Llay New Road and from the neighbouring licensed premises.

One representation was received objecting to the application and expressing concerns about another access onto the main road, additional traffic, and a condition to require Watts Dyke to be re-surfaced.

The report pack noted that the site benefits from planning permission for a retail unit, but the development has not commenced. There is an extant planning permission and reserved matters approval for 51 dwellings (P/2018/0933 & P/2021/0384) which is in the process of being implemented on the land to the west and south of the RBL building, which is to be retained.

The Chief Officer Economy & Planning was scheduled to be given delegated authority to GRANT planning permission subject to:

• The completion of a Modification Order under Section 97 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to modify planning permission Ref. P/2008/1063 and reserved matters approval P/2007/0646 to omit 4 plots from the planning permission.

• The completion of a Planning Obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure:

  • Financial contributions to primary and secondary education provision.
  • Financial contributions towards off-site public open space provision.
  • Affordable housing.

It was also noted that if the Modification Order and Planning Obligation pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990 is not completed within six months of the date of the Committee resolution, the Chief Officer Economy & Planning be given delegated authority to REFUSE the application on the grounds that:

• The development would result in additional phosphorous entering the River Dee and Bala Lake Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and therefore is likely to have a significant effect on the SAC. It therefore conflicts with policy EC6 of the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan.
• The development will not make any contributions towards the provision of affordable housing and therefore conflicts with policy H7 of the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan.
• The development will not make any contributions towards the provision of public open space and therefore conflicts with policy CLF5 of the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan.
• The development will not make any contribution towards additional school capacity. Without this, existing schools do not have sufficient capacity to cater for the development. As such, the development conflicts with policy GDP2 of the Wrexham Local Development Plan.

The report pack stated that the proposed development would be of an appropriate design and would not give rise to highway safety or residential amenity or ecological concerns.