Councillor's court win puts homes plan in disarray

Plans for thousands of homes are in disarray after the appeal court found councillors did not have to vote for a local development plan.

Wrexham councillors finally voted a local development plan (LDP) through last December after being ordered to adopt one by a judge following a judicial review.

That was brought by developers after the LDP was twice rejected.

But on Friday, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Plaid Cymru councillor Marc Jones.

It dismissed the judicial review and said councillors did not have to adopt an LDP.

Jones won after taking on six developers, the Welsh government and Wrexham council.

An LDP outlines where authorities intend to develop land over a number of years, based on Welsh government projections.

The Wrexham LDP, which proposes 3,100 new homes, was rejected in both April and June 2023.

Six housing developers then won a judicial review arguing the council had to adopt an LDP.

After that came the December vote, before which councillors were given legal advice warning they could face jail if they ignored the judicial review ruling.

But now three appeals judges have said councillors were acting lawfully when they twice voted against the LDP.

The court dismissed the six housing developers' judicial review case.

After the judgement, Mr Jones called the ruling "a landmark" and a "major breakthrough".

"The judgment, by the second highest court in Wales and England, is very clear," he said.

"Local councils in Wales do have a choice when it comes to adopting these plans."

Welsh government ministers, Mr Jones said, must now respect the votes not to adopt the plan.

"They should also disregard the December 2023 vote," he said.

Wrexham council's strategic planning member, Hugh Jones, said: "This judgement has implications for the council in both legal and operational terms and these are currently being given careful consideration."

The Welsh government said: "We will consider the Court of Appeal's judgment."