Industrial access and storage works at Kronospan Ltd Holyhead Road, Chirk, Wrexham

What was proposed

The application proposed a new access road, lorry park, weighbridges, storage areas, substation, facilities and associated works.

“Description of Development CREU FFORDD FYNEDIAD NEWYDD, PARC LORIS, PONT BWYSO AC ADEILAD, MAES PARCIO, BLOC CYFLEUSTRAU, ARDALOEDD STORIO COED CRWN, IS ORSAF 132 KV A GWAITH ATEGOL / CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ACCESS ROAD, LORRY PARK, WEIGHBRIDGE AND BUILDING, CAR PARK, FACILITIES BLOCK, ROUNDWOOD STORAGE AREAS ,132 KV SUBSTATION AND ANCILLARY WORKS”

“Report of the Chief Officer Economy and Planning • Construction of three new ‘in’ weighbridges and one new ‘out’ weighbridge to the south-west of the proposed lorry park, together with a new timber-clad weighbridge building and weighbridge car park; • Construction of two new roundwood storage areas; one to the west of the proposed lorry park and one to the south of the proposed weighbridge car park.”

Officer report

The site

The 11.74-hectare agricultural site lies north of the existing facility, beside the B5070, railway line and Llangollen Canal.

“Site Description The application site comprises an area of approximately 11.74 hectares of agricultural land to the north of the existing Kronospan facility. The B5070 public highway (Holyhead Road) abuts the application site’s eastern boundary, whilst the Shrewsbury – Wrexham railway line and the Llangollen Canal lie to the west of the site.”

Officer report

Earlier committee decision

The application had previously been supported subject to planning obligations, but the obligation had not been completed and policy circumstances had changed.

“Background The application was previously reported to Planning Committee on 8 April 2024. Members resolved to grant planning permission subject to the completion of a planning obligation to secure; • The submission of a final Conservation Management Plan; • The implementation and long-term management of the measures contained within the final Conservation Management Plan; • The submission of a final Woodland Management Plan; and • The implementation and long-term management…”

“Report of the Chief Officer Economy and Planning In addition to the planning policy framework, it is also necessary to re-assess the application in light of the phosphorous situation, which has also changed since April 2024.”

Officer report

Officers’ recommendation

Officers recommended permission subject to an obligation securing final conservation and woodland management plans and their long-term implementation.

“Recommendation Recommendation A That planning permission is granted subject to the completion of a Planning Obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure:”

“The submission of a final Conservation Management Plan; • The implementation and long-term management of the measures contained within the final Conservation Management Plan; • The submission of a final Woodland Management Plan; and • The implementation and long-term management of the measures contained within the final Woodland Management Plan.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The officer presented the application, and the adjoining and local ward members addressed the committee.

Members’ debate

Members discussed cable-related disruption, the roundabout’s position, noise mitigation, traffic management and the benefits of the new access road.

“A discussion ensued and the following points were raised during the debate:”

“Concerns raised by the adjoining Ward Member about the installation of the underground cable linking the proposed substation to the network, particularly the traffic disruption it could cause for residents, local businesses, agricultural vehicles and emergency services. • Further concerns related to the positioning of the proposed roundabout off the B5070 being too close to the A5 roundabout, which was heavily used by traffic travelling to North Wales.”

Minutes

The vote

The committee resolved to grant permission.

“RESOLVED - That permission be granted, subject to the following:”

Minutes

The decision

Permission was granted with the commencement period reduced to three years and a requirement for noise mitigation before each phase opened.

“The development hereby permitted shall be commenced before the expiry of three years from the date of this permission.”

“Condition 29 No phase shall be brought into beneficial use until a scheme of noise mitigation has been implemented within that phase in accordance with a scheme of details that shall first have been submitted to and approved in…”

Minutes

Main added conditions

The added noise condition requires approved mitigation to be implemented before each phase is used and retained for the development’s lifetime.

“This document is also available in Welsh This Committee’s meetings are webcast and can be viewed by visiting the webcast library at: https://wrexham.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcasts writing by the Local Planning Authority. The noise mitigation measures shall thereafter be retained in accordance with the approved details for the lifetime of the development.”

Minutes