Public meeting to discuss the future of Wrexham’s Local Development Plan after High Court ruling and debate over farmland use.
Councillors organized it because they opposed the plan and even fought legal battles over it. The LDP has caused issues for a while now and there were many votes against it.
Developers challenged those decisions in court and they won, meaning adoption seemed inevitable. The LDP got adopted after a minority vote, leading some councillors to boycott it.
A court hearing happened a year ago, where councillors faced criticism for wasting court time. Then, in December 2024, something changed and councillors won in the High Court. This victory involved Marc Jones, Mark Pritchard, and Hugh Jones.
At the meeting, they will update the public and share updates on the High Court ruling. Then, they will talk about future steps against the LDP. Councillor Carrie Harper wants people to know what is happening.
The councillors challenged the plan backed by Wrexham because a major issue was using farmland for new housing. They want a plan for communities, not developers. They spoke about building houses with insufficient infrastructure.
The councillors thought the plan was rejected twice before. Developers threatened them with jail and action. Their legal challenge succeeded in December 2024, and they now want a plan that works for Wrexham.
Marc Jones led the legal challenge. Even after their victory, the Welsh Government appealed. The Supreme Court may get involved. He wants people to understand the situation at the meeting.
They also want to discuss how they can move forward. They need a plan that helps their communities. This means services and infrastructure for any growth. The meeting is at Maesgwyn Hall at 7 PM on February 20.