Residents left in dark over Traveller site planning appeal
Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter
An appeal against a Travellers site has left residents perplexed as neither PEDW nor the council will confirm exactly what has been proposed.
The appeal is technically against an enforcement notice served by Wrexham County Borough Council against a change of use of land, north of Wayside Cottage at Mount Zion in Brymbo, from agricultural to Gypsy and Traveller use.
But with one week to go for interested parties to lodge their objections or support for the enforcement action, there are no documents detailing the precise area in question beyond a postcode.
Residents therefore don’t know whether the change of use applies to a small one hectare area or a site covering tens of acres, how close it is runs to their homes and what its capacity could be.
When asked directly PEDW – the Welsh planning inspectorate – refused to provide any details of the area under appeal, citing data protection.
Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Planning and Public Protection at Wrexham County Borough Council said: “The council served an enforcement notice on 19 May, 2026 following a material change of use of agricultural land to use as a Gypsy and Traveller Site without planning permission.
“The site owners or occupiers have since exercised their statutory right to appeal against the enforcement notice.
“As this relates to an enforcement appeal rather than a planning application, there are no associated application documents available on the council’s Planning Portal.”
The lack of any detail has left the community confused and concerned that they are being prevented from providing a meaningful response to the appeal before the deadline of Friday, October 23.
“It is bizarre that residents are being asked for comments on the site despite not knowing the extent of the proposal or site layout,” said Brymbo Cllr Paul Rogers.
“Residents deserve clarification.”
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