Controversial Local Development Plan to be withdrawn ending years of legal battles

Wrexham’s long-running Local Development Plan (LDP) saga is set to come to an end, with the controversial blueprint for future development to be formally withdrawn following direction from the Welsh Government.

The decision is expected to bring clarity to the county borough’s planning system after months of uncertainty, during which the plan existed in a legal grey area despite being quashed by the High Court.

The LDP is the strategic plan that outlines where development is appropriate within Wrexham County Borough.

It was considered a statutory duty for all Welsh Councils to adopt an LDP until a challenge was mounted against Wrexham’s plan due to the ‘excessive allocation of housing on greenfield sites’.

That challenge went all the way to the UK Supreme Court who ruled that the authority did not have to adopt the LDP.

Wrexham Council confirmed it had received formal instruction to withdraw the plan, with the process due to be completed by 5pm on Friday, March 20.

Chief executive Alwyn Jones said the council would now begin work on a replacement plan.

“We are grateful to receive this confirmation from Welsh Government and will now work hard to submit a new delivery plan for agreement by September for the delivery of a new Local Development Plan,” he said.

‘Common sense’

Councillor Mark Pritchard, Leader of Wrexham Council, said: “I’m extremely pleased that a decision has been made, and I’d like to thank the Minister for Economy, Energy and Planning – Rebecca Evans MS – for making this decision.

“From the start of this journey I always felt that common sense would prevail and the outcome would be what has been announced today.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has been on this extremely difficult journey with us to ensure that the democratic process was followed and respected.”

The LDP has been at the centre of political and legal battles since its adoption in December 2023. Its adoption was overturned in May 2025, but it remained in use informally, with planning officers continuing to reference its evidence base — a situation that drew criticism from councillors and residents.

‘Turning point’

Marc Jones, leader of the Plaid Cymru group and one of the councillors involved in legal action against the Welsh Government and housing developers, said the decision marked a turning point.

He said: “Today feels like the end of a particularly long saga. The Labour Welsh Government has finally announced it is withdrawing the Local Development Plan for Wrexham and that has real significance for communities across the borough. Critically I can’t see how the two super estates on Cefn Rd and Ruthin Rd – adding up to 3180 homes – can go ahead. We now have a chance to create a development plan that works for Wrexham.

“This could have been so much easier – if the Welsh Government had listened to the council three years ago we would be well on our way to a new plan.

“Thanks to the councillors who stood their ground despite the threat of jail, the people that supported our legal case and the hundreds of people who attended public meetings on the matter. It shows that the local voice can win against all the odds – we took the developers and Welsh Govt to court and won. It’s a significant day for local democracy and the people against the rich and powerful.”

The formal withdrawal will remove the LDP entirely from the planning framework, meaning its policies, site allocations and supporting evidence will no longer carry weight in planning decisions.

However, questions remain about decisions made while the plan was either in force or still being used informally, particularly where it was used to justify departures from the much older Unitary Development Plan.

In the meantime, the county borough will rely on that existing plan, which dates from 1996 to 2011 and has been described as outdated.

Work will now begin on a new LDP — Wrexham’s third attempt — although the process is expected to take several years to complete