Wrexham Faces Planning Approval Issues for New Training Ground
Wrexham have been told in no uncertain terms to “get their act in order” after pushing ahead with work on their new training ground without full planning approval.
The rebuke came from Councillor Mike Morris, chair of Gresford community council’s planning committee, who used a recent meeting to spell out his frustration at the club’s approach.
‘Good results are no excuse’
The row centres on a new pavilion at Wrexham’s training site. Building work started before the club submitted a planning application, which only went in last month and is now being dealt with retrospectively.
Morris did not soften his words.
“I do wish that people would get their act in order and not put in retrospective applications just because it suits you – which, at the end of the day, is what it came down to,” he said, making clear that Wrexham’s rise under their Hollywood ownership carried no special privileges.
“You wanted to do it in the summer, and you know the fact you've had good results, and you know the football club is doing very well, we all applaud that, but it's no excuse for not following the procedure properly.”
The message was blunt: success on the pitch does not grant a free pass off it.
Morris stressed the club would be treated exactly like any other applicant, despite its global profile.
“It's no different to any other retrospective application,” he said. “So it will be a matter for members to consider whether they are going to support it or not, and that will come out in the debate.”
Formal apology from the club
Faced with the criticism, Wrexham’s chief strategy officer Aidan Miller moved quickly to apologise, both to the committee and to local residents.
He accepted that the club had not followed the ideal legal sequence, even if they believed they were acting in a practical way for the site and the community.
Miller explained that Wrexham chose to press on during the off-season to limit disruption.
“The club sought to undertake the works during the summer off-season period, when activity at the site is significantly reduced, allowing construction activity and associated impacts to be managed effectively and within the site footprint,” his statement read.
“The club recognises that planning permission would ordinarily be secured before development commences, and we sincerely apologise to the committee and local residents.”
He insisted, though, that Wrexham had tried to behave responsibly.
“Notwithstanding this, throughout the development of the project, the club has sought to act responsibly by selecting an established sporting location, making use of existing infrastructure, and designing a proposal to minimise impacts on neighbouring occupiers and the wider community.”
The club, Miller added, has been fully engaged with the planning process since.
“The club has engaged fully and thoroughly with the planning process, including undertaking pre-application consultation, engaging with statutory consultees, and responding to matters raised in relation to parking, highways and phosphate mitigation.”
Trouble off the pitch, trouble on it
All this comes at a time when the mood around the team has darkened.
Phil Parkinson’s side were thrashed 6-0 by West Ham United at the London Stadium, a bruising defeat that cut through the optimism of recent seasons and left them sitting 16th in the table.
One win from seven games tells its own story. The owners’ ambition is clear in bricks, mortar and new facilities. The question now is whether the squad can match that drive on the pitch while the club learns to navigate the rules just as ruthlessly as it attacks the league.
