Gungrog school site houses to go ahead

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for 16 affordable homes in Welshpool have been given the green light, easing the town's housing crisis that has over 500 people waiting for rental accomodation.

But there are no guarantees that all properties will remain “affordable homes” forever.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee yesterday, councillors received an application from the council itself for the redevelopment of the former Gungrog school site in the town.

The application was for the demolition of the school building to make way for the affordable homes which will be made up of 12 one-bedroom bungalows and four two-bedroom bungalows.

Senior Planning Officer, Lorraine Jenkin, said: “It’s been brought to committee as this is a major application and the land is owned by Powys County Council.”

Ms Jenkin told councillors that the former school had been broken into and was starting to look “tatty”, becoming a problem for the area.

She explained that a condition would be added to the planning permission to set aside which houses would be “officially designated” as official affordable housing “in perpetuity” even though “in reality” they all would be.

The policy for this part of Powys means that only 20% of the site needed to be affordable homes. Ms Jenkin recommended that council approve the application.

Committee Solicitor, Rachel Mole, told councillors that she had reviewed the file and confirmed that the application had been processed “appropriately”.

Cllr Gareth E Jones said: “Could the committee actually put a condition that all 16 are affordable long term?”

Ms Jenkin said: “I don’t think we should do that, the policy only requires 20%.”

Cllr Angela Davies said: “It appears to be a very good use of the site.”

Councillors went on to vote unanimously to approve the application.

In April, last year the former Gungrog Church in Wales Infant and Nursery school site was transferred to the council’s housing department.

The council had said last year that there is a “clear, identified need for affordable, social rented properties”.

There were 525 applicants on the housing list who wanted affordable rented accommodation in Welshpool.

The school had been empty since 2017 as new school buildings were built in Welshpool.

Children were moved elsewhere before eventually the new Welshpool Church in Wales school building was opened in January 2021.

Up to the end of June last year, the school had been used by Powys Teaching Health Board as a Covid-19 vaccination and testing centre.