Net World Sports Strategic Ecology Corridor, Wrexham Industrial Estate
Welcome
Welcome to the consultation website for the proposed development of a new Strategic Ecology Corridor within the Wrexham Industrial Estate.
Under Section 61Z of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, we are carrying out a pre-application consultation for the proposed development focused to the north and east of Wrexham Industrial Estate as illustrated on the map above.
This website provides you with the opportunity to view the draft planning application documents and leave feedback on the proposals.
Background
Net World Sports (NWS) is pleased to present proposals for a new Strategic Ecology Corridor, which will be located to the north and east of the existing Wrexham Industrial Estate, as illustrated on the site plan above and the accompanying drawings. The estate is a designated Employment Area, specifically protected for Class B1 and B8 uses by Policy EM1 of the adopted Wrexham Local Development Plan (LDP).
The proposal covers four parcels of land located to the north and east of the Wrexham Industrial Estate. The sites are being put forward to provide additional land for ecology use in support of delivering three new development proposals which are as follows:
· Land North of Bryn Lane, Wrexham – also known as Utopia City and subject to a live planning application (Ref: P/2023/0497).
· Land South of Bryn Lane, Wrexham – subject to a live full planning application (P/2025/0143).
· The existing Net World Sport Headquarters Building where NWS are currently considering expansion plans.
Through discussions with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) on Utopia City, there was an opportunity to develop a strategic approach to deliver a significant uplift in the quantum and quality of ecological land within the Wrexham Industrial Estate area.
The parcels of land being put forward to make up the proposed Strategic Ecology Corridor are currently made up of agricultural land. The land classification as denoted on the Welsh Government’s “Agriculture Land Classification: Predictive Map” is 3B meaning the land is not considered to be “best and most versatile” (BMV).
Net World Sport owns these parcels of land, covering an area of over 17 hectares, and is able to put this unique offer forward. The four parcels being brought forward will be protected against built development in the future and instead, allow for an enhancement of biodiversity on site. This will complement other initiatives in the Wrexham Industrial Estate and recognises its wider ecological value.
The Strategic Ecology Corridor will complement any on-site provision for mitigation land within each of the schemes above, ensuring that a substantial proportion of the developable site area is given over for ecological purposes.
The Proposal
The proposal will progress through a detailed Full Planning Application, informed by extensive Pre-Application consultation. This consultation will engage with local stakeholders, relevant consultees and key representatives from WCBC to ensure that all ensure that all comments are considered and inform the proposals.
The proposed layout of the Strategic Ecology Corridor which can be viewed below through the links provided offers a comprehensive vision of how the scheme will be developed. In designing the Strategic Ecology Corridor, characteristics of the existing parcels of land have been considered including its topography, natural features and the surrounding environment. This approach aims to create a cohesive and sustainable development that is in keeping with the surrounding open space and industrial environment.
There will be two Ecological Mitigation Areas which make up the Strategic Ecology Corridor. The ‘Northern Ecological Mitigation Area’ is located off Francis Lane, north of the industrial estate. The ‘Southern Ecological Mitigation Area’ is located off the B5130, east of Wrexham Industrial Estate. These two areas are referred to throughout the Planning Statement which can be viewed following the link below.
Any existing Public Right of Way through the parcels within the Southern Ecological Mitigation Area will remain in place. During the construction phase and for on-going maintenance of the land, access will be achieved via existing entrances to the fields which are all within the ownership of the applicant.
Key Features
The full description of the proposal is available to view in the draft planning application. The proposed development comprises the following:
The overall aim of the landscape proposals is to provide connections between the existing established surrounding hedgerows, trees, ponds, and grasslands within the wider Strategic Ecological Network of the Wrexham Industrial Estate. The proposals will increase species diversity and create linked habitats, providing an uplift in ecological attributes. The proposed development on site comprises the following:
- Woodland
- Tree Planting
- Scrub Planting
- Open Grassland
- Rough Grass Meadow
- Existing/Proposed Ponds
- Marginal Vegetation
- Hedgerow & Bunds (these are only proposed on land east of the Wrexham Industrial Estate)
The development proposal will result in an additional 170 no. new trees planted across the development site, along with the creation of 36 new ponds and 250 lin.m of hedgerow planted.
Wider Benefits
The proposal has the opportunity to deliver key benefits to the surrounding area, including but not limited to:
· Increased biodiversity provision within Wrexham Industrial Estate;
· Provide a clear buffer to the east of the industrial estate;
· Restoration, preservation, and enhancement of both existing and new wildlife habitats;
· Allow movements between important habitats to maintain genetic diversity in wildlife populations; and
· To encourage natural pollination and seed dispersal to create a diverse environment for vegetation.
The Design
The design process of the Strategic Ecology Corridor started with a comprehensive analysis of the site constraints, which allowed the design team to fully understand both the sites and their surrounding contexts. Details of the full design approach can be found within the draft planning documents which are available to review as part of this consultation.
The parcels have been designed with the existing biodiversity at the forefront, as well as the site constraints and layouts which have informed how the scheme will achieve its maximum potential.
The parcels will consist of additional planting of hedgerows, trees, scrub, and woodland to raise the ecological value of the land and create a richer, more diverse wildlife environment.
The parcels of land have been chosen due to their location on the periphery of the industrial estate. As the land within the industrial estate is allocated for Employment Development, the only land that could work as a Strategic Ecology Corridor is land out of the allocation. It is felt that vacant land within the Industrial Estate should be for future development.
Draft Planning Application Documents
As part of the planning application, we will be submitting the following documents. These documents are in draft form and will be finalised following the Pre-Application Consultation. You can view these documents by clicking on the links below:
Make a Comment
We welcome your thoughts on our plans and for the growth of the Strategic Ecology Corridor around the Wrexham Industrial Estate. The consultation period will run until 2nd May 2025. All feedback received during the consultation period will be taken into account to inform our final planning application proposals. You can provide your feedback by emailing space@networld.co.uk or by post to Strategic Ecology Corridor Team, Carter Jonas, Bloc, 17 Marble Street, Manchester M2 3AW.
After the consultation, all feedback will be reviewed and considered as part of the final planning application submission. A pre-Application Consultation Report summarising comments returned during the process will be included in the application.