WREXHAM Council is keeping its options open over the future of the old Hippodrome site, a senior politician has said.

The local authority recently announced it had bought the grounds of the former cinema on Henblas Street in Wrexham town centre.

The land has stood empty since 2009 when the building was knocked down after being gutted by a major fire a year earlier.

It has sparked a public debate over how the area should be used, with a petition created calling for a theatre to be built there.

It has also been suggested that the site should be turned into a “pocket park” to provide green space for shoppers and people living in the town centre.

Council leader Mark Pritchard has welcomed the ideas put forward, but said there are no firm plans in place as yet.

He said:

“I’m delighted that it’s a topic of conversation. An elected member has mentioned a pocket park and other individuals have said it should be a theatre or an entertainment venue.

“The good thing about this is that as a council we’ve made a decision to purchase properties or land and to invest in them.

“I really don’t know what we’ll do with that parcel of land. We haven’t made a decision or had a conversation about it.

“We’ll go through a consultation and have discussions as I’ve had all sorts of people contacting me about all sorts of options.

“We’ll do what’s best for the town and what’s best for Wrexham.”

There have been several attempts to regenerate the site, including plans for two shops to be created with 13 apartments above them which were approved in 2019.

However, the scheme failed to move forward and the land was later auctioned off.

The council previously said the area would be developed in phases, with work initially carried out to remove weeds and secure hoardings at the front of the site.

Meanwhile, just under 270 people have signed a petition started by Wrexham resident Clive Ray, who wants a theatre to be built on the plot.

Mr Ray said:

“Wrexham is in desperate need of a theatre to support the array of local talent we have in the area.

“I would like to put pressure on Wrexham Council to build a theatre in Wrexham which will be available and viable for all local theatre groups, dance groups, schools, and choirs.

“Furthermore (it will) bring in some international events to bring in extra revenue to the area.

“It is my opinion that the old Hippodrome site would be a perfect site to build a theatre in the heart of the town.”