Town Council’s call for local flats for local people

Welshpool Town Council will support the development of four new flats in the town centre if they are made available to local people.

The decision was made at last night’s Planning Meeting when a proposal to convert the former dispensary at 9, New Street (pictured) into four flats was put to councillors for comment. The building celebrates its 200th anniversary in three years.

It is the latest in a rapidly growing list of town centre buildings being converted into housing, but last night was the first time that the Town Council added the stipulation that local people should come first, as the town’s housing crisis continues to mount.

Cllr Billy Spencer said: “Let’s face it, that building is hideous. My only concern it is all well and good making these houses, we do need one-bedroom flats. But we don’t know how many people are going to be stuffed into them. My concern is there are a lot of elderly living down there. They keep putting more and more flats down there. The houses seem to be flooding down there.

“I am not against it, because the building does need a face lift, but I don’t think that four flats is right for that building. It doesn’t seem a big building. Is it going to be flats for local people? Can we approve it on the basis of that?”

His proposal was supported by fellow councillors along with a condition that vehicular access concerns also be raised, but the Mayor, Cllr Phil Owen, went a step further.

“Why do you have to cram them in like that?” he asked. “What we don’t want is low quality housing that quickly becomes quite unsightly. I am voting against this simply because I would like to see that area developed. It is slap in the centre of town and I think it needs a slightly more attractive development rather than new flats.”

Other councillors also aired concerns about the number of flats for the space allocated, but voted by a majority to support the development with the conditions of local needs first and vehicular access included.

Cllr Chris Davies added that he was concerned that a development that seemed to target young people was being proposed in an area where a lot of elderly people resided.

The Town Council does not have the final say on planning permissions, but their comments and views should be taken on board by Powys County Council when they make the final call.