Campaigners have won a vote against National Trust plans to build 223 houses on its Erddig estate in Wrexham by 385 to 209 in a turn out of 24% – a ratio of almost 2 to 1 against. The same referendum also passed a vote of no confidence in the Rhostyllen Community Council by 307 to 221.

Election proceedings were marred when the local council used taxpayers money to send council workers to remove posters publicising the referendum, in what has been described as ‘an obscene abuse of power’. However, local campaigners are delighted with their significant victory.

Rhostyllen.com campaigner Tara Green said ‘We are extremely happy with the results of the vote. The National Trust can no longer falsely claim that the majority of local people are in favour of the development. People have finally had their say and it is a resounding NO. The vote also applied to any other development in our community that is not based on local need. Local people do not want this development, so it is time for the Trust to scrap their plans and abide by the democratic process.’

The Rhostyllen Residents Committee have challenged the community council to step down in light of the no confidence vote against them. A spokesperson said ‘A clear majority have voted no confidence in this council, and it is therefore only right that they now accept this decision and resign.’

Carrie Harper from campaign group Cymuned said ‘Local people have made it clear that they are against the National Trust’s ‘new village’ development. The planning committee should now take this into account when deciding on the planning application and refuse it. Iwan Huws, Director of Wales for the National Trust, has stated publicly that the development would be decided by the democratic process. The only acceptable option now is for them to pull out. If they do not, the campaign will continue and their own members will vote out those responsible for the decision at the Trust’s AGM later this year. Hundreds have already spoken to us and stated their willingness to do so.’

CAMPAIGNERS FURIOUS AT SYSTEMATIC REMOVAL OF ELECTION POSTERS

Campaigners in Rhostyllen have been appalled to see council vans following local residents putting up posters to publicise the referendum on the National Trust’s plans to build 223 houses in Rhostyllen. The referendum is being held from 4.00pm until 9.00pm this evening, and council workers have been removing every poster that concerned local residents have put up.

Under the 1972 Local Government Act, Wrexham council is not obliged to publicise the referendum in Rhostyllen at all, and the Act states clearly that the responsibility for drawing attention to the referendum lies with the people who requested it.

Due to complaints believed to have come from Rhostyllen councillor Mark Pritchard, currently campaigning in favour of the development despite have spoken against it regularly, council workers have been attempting to remove all posters promoting the election.

Campaigners want to know how much it is costing the tax-payers of Rhostyllen to have council workers attempting to make sure that the residents do not know about the referendum.

‘This is an obscene abuse of power,’ says Carrie Harper, local representative for the communities group Cymuned. ‘The council is spending our money to stop people in Rhostyllen from hearing that they have a chance to voice their feelings about the
proposed over-development. It is bad enough when councils drag their feet on their obligations to consult the public – but to have the council actively trying to hush up this vital example of community democracy is an appalling example of their sneering
disrespect for ordinary people.’

Residents of Rhostyllen today have the opportunity to vote against National Trust plans to build 223 houses on the Erddig estate facing Rhostyllen. Polls will be open from 4.00pm until 9.00pm in the Rhostyllen Parish Hall, after the Rhostyllen Residents Committee and campaign group Cymuned successfully won their call for a local referendum. Residents will also have the opportunity to vote on a motion of no
confidence in the Esclusham community council.

Campaigner Tara Green said “This is the democratic process, and we feel it was vital for us to express our views. We urge all residents of Esclusham to use this opportunity to have their say and to go to the Parish Hall and vote.”

Rhostyllen resident Barbara Davies also says residents are happy that they are finally able to have their say. “Although it has taken some time to organise, we are happy finally to have the chance to challenge National Trust claims that the majority of us
are in favour of this development. This is our community, it is only right that we have a say about its future.”

Carrie Harper of campaign group Cymuned said “This is all about democracy. Democracy for the people of Rhostyllen and Esclusham and also now about democracy for National Trust members. Hundreds have contacted us expressing their concerns about the National Trust’s actions here in Wrexham. Trust members will also be following the
democratic process and attending the Trust’s AGM this year to vote out those responsible for this decision. The National Trust will have to learn the hard way that they cannot ride roughshod over local communities or their own members.”

Rhostyllen.com campaigners have announced today that a referendum of the community of Esclusham will be taking place on Tuesday the 22nd January. Residents will get the chance to say whether or not they are against National Trust plans to build 223 houses opposite the village of Rhostyllen and also any other development within their community that is not based on local need.

The electoral department confirmed yesterday that the referendum will be open to all electors of the ward of Esclusham, which includes the villages of Rhostyllen, Bersham and Pentre Bychan. The vote will take place at the Parish Hall in Rhostyllen. Polling stations will be open from 4pm in the afternoon until 9.00pm in the evening.

Campaigners will now be publicising a Vote No campaign. Tara Green of the Rhostyllen Resident Committee said ‘We have fought hard to ensure the people of our community get a say about this development. This process has been made very difficult because of the behaviour of our community council; they have refused to allow public meetings and excluded us from meetings with the Trust. Because of their behaviour, residents voted in a majority to include a vote of no confidence in the council along with a vote about the Erddig development itself. The democratic process should be followed: neither the National Trust or community council can deny us our right to have our say.’

Carrie Harper, from the campaign group Cymuned, said ‘Residents have shown an amazing amount of commitment and determination to secure this referendum. We now challenge the National Trust and planning department to follow the democratic process and abide by the result of this vote.’

The communities group Cymuned has condemned Cynnal Cymru, which is financed by the Assembly Government in order to promote sustainable development in Wales, for refusing to make any comment on the unpopular proposed development by the National Trust in Rhostyllen near Wrecsam. Dr Ruth Williams is on the board of Cynnal Cymru and is also the Welsh Affairs Manager for the National Trust – and she also has refused to meet Cymuned representatives.

‘We believe that this reflects extremely poorly on Cynnal Cymru,’ says Aran Jones, Cymuned’s Chief Executive, ‘since it looks to be obvious that there is a link between board members’ employment and the issues that the organisation is willing to speak about. It’s bad enough that Dr Ruth Williams refuses to speak with Cymuned representatives, but to see Cynnal Cymru also refusing to make any comment on a proposed development which is in no way based on local need is absolutely appalling.’

Cymuned is working with the Rhostyllen Residents Committee (www.Rhostyllen.com) to promote awareness of local people’s unhappiness with the proposed development, which will involved building 223 houses which are not for local need, with a significantly lower percentage set aside for affordable housing than the Assembly is currently encouraging.

‘We’ve worked very hard to try and hold positive and sincere discussion with the National Trust, but they appear to have no concern whatsoever for the wishes of local people,’ says Carrie Harper, Cymuned’s representative in the North-East. ‘They simply want to make as much money as possible, to take advantage of the housing crisis, and the fact that their Welsh Affairs Manager won’t even speak with us tells volumes about their attitude. When the Trust has to choose between profit or local people, it chooses profit.’