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Posted: Tue 13th Jan 2026
Wrexham Council have said they have been consulted twice before over use of a former care facility for use as part of a Home Office asylum dispersal accommodation – and strongly opposed the proposed use – and will be objecting once again.
The site was on the auction block in October last year via Christies auctioneers (image above), however does not appear to have changed hands since a £350k sale back in 2018.
The site is under the spotlight again after Ponciau councillor Paul Pemberton posted on Facebook.com stating he has been “… notified over recent days that Clear Springs a company used by the government to source asylum seeker accommodation are currently consulting about using Plas y Rhos for approx 70 Asylum seekers”.
Cllr Pemberton has called a public meeting at the Hafod club main hall on Friday afternoon 4:30PM-6PM to ‘pass on all we know ,to answer questions and to gauge public opinion on the proposal’.
He later edited his post to add, “All we ask at the meeting that everyone is civil and that no racist remarks are made. If someone makes racist remarks they will be asked to leave the room.”
Earlier today Wrexham.com queried Wrexham Council over the statement, asking about the notification, as well as ownership information.
Wrexham Council Leader Mark Pritchard said: “As part of the Home Office consultation process for asylum dispersal accommodation, the Council has been contacted regarding the proposed use for the site formally known as Plas yn Rhos.
“The land where Plas yn Rhos is situated was sold by ‘Clwyd County Council’ before the local government re-organisation.
“The property is intended for 35 units for families of up to 2 people per unit. We are planning to submit a response within the timescales provided by the Home Office objecting to the proposal.
“The Council has been consulted by the Home Office in relation to the property on 2 previous occasions and both times has strongly opposed the proposed use.
Wrexham.com also queried the Planning Department for a view on if the site would require a change of use application, something that would take time to come before committee, and if opposed locally could then enter the long appeal process.
The council later said “Any change in use for the building will be subject to normal planning considerations in due course.”
On our query over ownership Wrexham Council later told us :”The land was sold 28 February 1989 by former Clwyd County Council to Clwyd Alyn Housing Association”.
Cllr Pemberton has since shared a petition started by Kathryn Humphreys, that in part “….demand that both the UK Government and the local council pause these plans and conducts a thorough impact assessment on how this will effect our community.
“Both the UK government and the local council should also confirm or deny whether existing Wrexham residents facing homelessness have also been considered for the same opportunity and provide substantial reasoning as to why they may have been rejected”.
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