Planned hotel to be relocated as Kop becomes Wrexham Gateway centrepiece

Alec Doyle – Local democracy reporter

A landmark hotel planned as part of the Wrexham Gateway project may be relocated so that Wrexham AFC’s new kop can become the development’s iconic centrepiece.

Councillors on the Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny
Committee will review the updated masterplan for the Wrexham Gateway Project next Wednesday.

The latest version of the plan includes the recommendation to relocate the hotel, which was supposed to be built next to the STōK Cae Ras.

Landmark

“The original intention was that the hotel, situated on the junction of Mold Road and Crispin Lane, would be a landmark feature at this important gateway to the city,” according to the updated masterplan.

“With the evolution of the football stand into an iconic, internationally recognised building, there is little logic to hiding this behind a new hotel.

“As such, the Wrexham Gateway Partnership, Wrexham County Borough Council and Wrexham AFC are currently in discussions as to whether a hotel is the best use for the site and if it may be better suited for another use.”

The plan also reveals that there is a study underway into the realignment of Crispin Lane and the potential impact of that on traffic and pedestrian flows.

Brewery

When councillors first approved the plans in 2022 they insisted on assurances that both the western and eastern side of the development would be completed.

The updated plan remains committed to the developing the eastern side of the gateway but due to land and funding issues it will now treat the east as one single development.

Discussions have begun with Wrexham Lager to move their brewery into the former Jewson warehouse in the eastern part of the development, although these talks are at an early stage.

Wrexham General train station car park will also move to the Jewson site.

Office space planned for the scheme has been reduced to 600 desks due to the commercial challenges facing the office space sector due to hybrid working and work from home.

Councillors will review the changes at committee on Wednesday, May 7.