The chairman of a community council has praised the work done to re-purpose a former school site in a Ceiriog Valley village, after voting to endorse plans.

Councillor Graham Barrow, of Glyntraian Community Council, thanked the work of relevant authorities who have supported the recommendation in a report to use the former Ysgol Pontfadog site as a base for affordable housing.

The 110-year-old school closed in 2019, and there has since been six months of intense engagement with stakeholders and members of the community.

Councillors voted in favour of using the space for affordable housing at a meeting on Wednesday evening, after reading a 38-page feasibility study and options appraisal, put together by independent community engagement consultant Marc Roberts of Cynlas Cyf.

Cllr Barrow praised Mr Roberts’ efforts, and believes the plan for the site is one the residents in the area can be proud of.

He said: “We wish to thank Marc Roberts for his diligence and hard work in conducting a rigorous and thoughtful consultation. He has produced a balanced and extremely detailed report, thoroughly researched, soundly evidenced and which pays due regard to the desires of many in our community.

“The report will now be forwarded to Wrexham Council, owners of the site, for further consideration.

“We look forward to working closely with the Authority, potential developers and of course, Glyntraian residents in designing a scheme the village can be proud of and which duly acknowledges the much-valued history and heritage of the old school.”

Councillors voted 7-1 in favour of the site being used for affordable housing at the meeting, which was attended by Wrexham Council Leader, Councillor Mark Pritchard and Cadwyn Clwyd Project Manager, Helen Williams, who both praised the integrity and quality of the process.

Mr Roberts’ report concluded that affordable housing for young families firmly tied into a local lettings policy and with a community benefit embedded into any development agreement, will best serve the wider interests of the Glyntraian community.

A postal survey of 323 households in the ward elicited an impressive 71 per cent response rate.

Affordable starter homes for young families earned the maximum highest perceived benefit score from 40 per cent of all respondents – higher than any other option.

The project was co-funded by Glyntraian Community Council and Regional Development Agency, Cadwyn Clwyd, through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme.