Wrexham have been told to “get their act in order” by a local community council after the club built their new training base without yet having planning permission.
The Welsh side completed the build of the facility before it went to a planning committee and have since issued a public apology.
The local council also said that the club’s rise, from non-league football to the second-tier under big-name owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, is “no excuse for not following the procedure properly.”
The original application to build the facility was lodged in August, once work had already started.
Read more:Movie Review: Kenneth Branagh and Ryan Reynolds star in irreverent Cold War action-comedy ‘Mayday’
“I do wish that people [Wrexham] 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,” Gresford community council’s planning committee chair, Councillor Mike Morris, said.
“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.
“It’s no different to any other retrospective application. 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.”
Aidan Millar, Wrexham’s chief strategy officer, said the club “sincerely apologise to the committee and local residents.”
Read more:Fenerbahce president rejects coach Kartal’s resignation after UCL draw
“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,” he said.
“The club recognises that planning permission would ordinarily be secured before development commences, and we sincerely apologise to the committee and local residents.
–
“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 designed a proposal to minimise impacts on neighbouring occupiers and the wider community.
“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.”
With a local resident referring to potential drainage issues the newly-built site could cause, councilors will await further information in that regard, meaning the application was deferred.
It will return to the committee at a later date.
