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Posted: Fri 10th Jan 2025
A former methodist church in a Wrexham village could soon be demolished to make way for affordable housing.
An application has been submitted to redevelop the Engedi Chapel and Brymbo Methodist Church into 16 affordable apartments.
The plans, put forward on behalf of Wales & West Housing Association, include the demolition of the building, which closed in 2003.
The former church is described as being unoccupied for the last 22 years and is now in a poor state of repair.
Several applications to redevelop the site into housing have been put forward in recent years.
However none of these plans have come to fruition.
As part of the new application, the site would be redeveloped into 16 one-bedroom apartments, which will be available to persons on the housing register on a social rented basis.
The proposed development consists of two blocks of apartments, which will be connected at ground floor level by a plant room and service area.
One of the blocks will consist of 12 apartments across two floors, with undercroft parking below.
Four bedrooms would be created in the second block, which would also be made up of two floors.
A new point of access is proposed north of the site, providing access to the undercroft parking.
Explaining the planned demolition of two religious buildings, the applicants state: “This application proposes the redevelopment of a previously developed site, a significant portion of which is occupied by a building that has stood vacant for 20 years and is now in a poor state of repair.
“The proposed development would result in significant visual improvements on site and assist with the wider sense of regeneration locally.
“The proposed development would however result in the loss of two places of worship, albeit neither are in use and, particularly in respect of the Chapel, thelength of time for which the building has stood empty is testament to scale of local pressure for the availability of such a place.
“These buildings were however community facilities and PPW recognises that community facilities are often a key element in creating viable and sustainable places.
“Given that there hasn’t been a sustained demand for the Methodist Church or Chapel within the community, and that this reflects the wider faith picture, we are firmly of the view that the loss of these buildings is not a material consideration of significant weight, particularly when there is a current and pressing need for affordable housing.”
In terms of the design of the apartments, the applicants state that the “building will have a varied external finish utilising brick, render and cladding board to provide visual interest.”
Solar panels would also be installed on the roof.
Preliminary plans show that the apartments would consist of one double bedroom, a bathroom and living space. Each apartment would also have joint kitchen and dining room.
The applicants add: “This Application proposes the demolition of two no. buildings and their replacement with 16 no. affordable homes.
“The proposal is a well-designed response to the somewhat constrained development site and represents a good opportunity to redevelop a site that has not been in active use for some time.
“The Application is supported by the appropriate assessments and reports which have informed and the development of this proposal which has also been led by the policies of the development plan, national planning policy and the available guidance notes.
“The proposed development is largely compliant with planning policy and will make a modest contribution to the affordable housing stock in the borough. Theevidence demonstrates that there is a need for such dwellings in the locality.
“It is acknowledged that there is some conflict with policy in respect of parking provision however material to the consideration of this is the evidence about demand for parking in the social housing sector, plus the significant experience the applicant as a housing association.
“For the reasons set out within this statement is therefore respectfully requested that planning permission be granted.”
The application will be considered for approval by Wrexham Council at a later date.
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