Anti-Tesco stadium plan protest

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Chair of the Village Green Action Committee Jackie Palmer explains why residents do not want Newi Cefn Druids to relocate to Rhosymedre.

Residents of a community where a football club is planning to move to have staged a picnic protest against the stadium proposals.

Newi Cefn Druids currently play in the Plas Kynaston Lane ground in Cefn Mawr, Wrexham but are moving to nearby Rhosymedre to accommodate a new Tesco.

In exchange, the supermarket group will build a 3,000 capacity new stadium in Rhosymedre for Newi Cefn Druids.

Tesco claim the plans would create at least 140 jobs.

But campaigners say the Rhosymedre site should be designated a village green.

Planners approved the multimillion-pound proposal in March.

Around 30 people attended the picnic on land to the west of Rock Road, which is where the new stadium will be built.

Jackie Palmer, who chairs the Village Green Action Committee, said she had made an official application for the area to be designated a village green.

It will decimate our local shops Jackie Palmer on plans to build a new Tesco store

"Over the last 20 years local people have been using that space for a wide variety of different activities," she said.

"We want to go on using it as a community space. I don't have anything against the football club but this is the wrong place for the stadium."

Ms Palmer said she personally also had concerns about the plans to build a Tesco store on the site of the club's current ground.

"It will ruin the village, the roads are too narrow and will become too congested," she said.

"It will decimate our local shops. I don't agree with the argument that it will bring people into the area. People will just do their shopping in Tesco and then leave.

"I think it would be far better to locate the store on the Flexsys site. There is acres of land and the road links are better but some say the land is contaminated."

Highways officers had also raised concerns at a previous planning meeting over the possible impact of the development on roads in the area.

Cefn ward councillor Howard Moysen raised objections to the scheme, citing concerns about traffic levels.

Improvements

The developers involved in the proposals said they had responded by introducing a range of improvements including a new link road which would reduce congestion on Well Street.

Tesco claim the plans will see the creation of one of its first "environmentally efficient" superstores in Wales.

The club, which was founded in 1869 and is one of the oldest in the country, said funding for its youth academy was dependent on having a ground that meets new Uefa standards from the 2010-2011 season.

Club chairman Brian Mackie had said the new stadium including 500 seats, covered terraces, a clubhouse and parking for 100 vehicles, would be worth "something in the region of £1m" to the club.

This was at a time when it was not able to find the £50,000 needed for a minimum upgrade of Plas Kynaston Lane, he said.