Hundreds of new jobs expected after sports firm expansion gets green light
Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter
Hundreds of new jobs could be created after plans for a major expansion by a global sports equipment company in north Wales were unanimously approved.
The project – on an undeveloped piece of land next to Bryn Business Estate off Bryn Lane, which has been earmarked for development by Wrexham County Borough Council – will see entrepreneur Alex Loven build a a 14,564 square metre warehouse for use as either a manufacturing or distribution centre.
Councillors have granted permission for both uses, allowing Net World Sports to effectively choose the best way to utilise the space – creating between 205-438 jobs on the site.
Addressing Wrexham Council’s Planning Committee on Monday Mr Loven said: “We’re presenting a nine-acre infill site. The only nearby residential house is Little Acorns across the road, which is in our control and will – subject to planning approval – be demolished when we build our Utopia City.”
The plans include a 45% ecological mitigation which encompasses a colony of protected Great Crested Newts. According to the plans these will be humanely moved in order to preserve then population and given protected space on the site fenced off from the construction area.
Planning permission for the area nearby where the newts will be moved to was granted earlier this year in a separate application.
Should Net World Sports decide to use the warehouse for manufacturing, it will include 291 car parking spaces. If it is for distribution it will have 146 due to the addition of loading bays.
Cllr David I Bithell asked whether the size of the development – on land that was previously not developed – would impact the levels of phosphorous that flow into the River Dee.
“By essentially sterilising the agricultural land for agricultural production, you’re removing sources of phosphorus from that and the calculation demonstrates that they remove enough phosphorus to make this development neutral,” said Head of Service for Planning Development Management Matthew Phillips.
The plans were unanimously supported by the committee.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Get more trusted Welsh news
Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.
