Yesterday (21st June), Wrexham’s MP, Sarah Atherton met with Dŵr Cyrmu (Welsh Water) to discuss Wrexham’s planning application backlog.
The Welsh Government’s phosphates policy sets new targets for phosphate pollution in rivers and has severely impacted housing and wider planning developments in Wrexham. Due to this policy, in 2021-22, only 5,273 council houses were built in Wales, 24% less than in 2015-16.
For two years, Mrs Atherton has corresponded with the UK Government, Wrexham Council, developers, the Welsh Government, Dŵr Cymru and its subsidiary – NRW, to resolve this issue.
In May 2023, Mrs Atherton wrote to Wrexham Council to explore alternative means of tackling the phosphates issue by looking at the use of section 106 orders. Also in May, Mrs Atherton wrote to Natural Resources Wales to ensure that the permit which will allow progress to be made on the phosphates issue is granted to Wrexham as soon as possible.
The Wrexham constituency is covered by 2 treatment plants, Gresford (which currently doesn’t hold a permit and sits in Tranche 2 for consideration) and the main plant, Five Fords which covers the City Centre and Industrial estate.
In Mrs Atherton’s recent meeting with Dŵr Cymru, they confirmed that the Five Fords treatment plant existing permit meets NRW’s new requirements. Therefore, there is no reason why building developments should be blocked for any longer.
After this meeting, Mrs Atherton wrote a letter to the Chief Executive of NRW stating that Dŵr Cymru has recommended that Five Fords existing permit is sufficient to allow the recommencement of building development (equating to 3,000 housing units) in the Five Fords catchment area, for example the building of the Kop Stand at the Racecourse.
The decision to grant the permit is now in the gift of NRW and now falls within an administrative task rather than environmental challenge.
Sarah Atherton MP commented:
“Whilst the aim to reduce phosphates levels in the river Dee is laudable, the way that the Welsh Labour Government has introduced this policy has been detrimental to Wrexham. At a time when Wrexham has never been more prepared and ready for growth, Wales’ newest City has been deprived of vast investment, jobs, and prosperity. The recent meeting with Dŵr Cymru has not only instilled hope, but has shown after a long phosphates journey, we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. If NRW grant building developments to commence, not only will Wrexham benefit from more housing, but this will allow the redevelopment of the historic Kop Stand at the Racecourse Ground to commence!
I would like to thank Dŵr Cyrmu for supporting, in principle, the number of strategies discussed to work around the problem with having to wait further delays in what is now an administrative process, rather than environmental. Hopefully, this gives Wrexham Council’s planning department time to prepare and start dealing with the backlog after a two-year embargo. Most importantly, Wrexham can now start acting and developing like a city.”