OLD blocks of flats in Merthyr Tydfil will be knocked down and turned into 40 new flats.
The application for the redevelopment of Cefn Isaf flats in Pontycapel Road, Cefn Coed, involving the demolition of the existing buildings and the construction of new ones to house 40 flats, was approved by Merthyr Tydfil’s planning committee on Wednesday, November 13.
There will be two new buildings which will be made up of 25 one-bedroom flats and 15 two-bedroom flats.
The planning report said that the site currently accommodated two blocks of flats, known as Cefn Isaf, which were unoccupied and appeared to be in a state of disrepair.
In the planning statement submitted with the application it said that the buildings were considered to have structural problems which was why they were no longer occupied.
The planning report that went before Merthyr Tydfil Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, November 13 said the application site was located within the primary growth area and settlement limits where new development was generally encouraged and supported by the Local Development Plan (LDP).
The existing buildings within the site currently have a total of 34 residential units with a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom flats and the report said that the proposed development would be of a similar scale with a total of 40 residential units made up of one and two-bedroom flats.
It said that therefore the principle of the development to accommodate flats within the site had already been established.
It added that due to the poor condition of the buildings and the need to provide new houses across the county borough, the proposed development would assist in meeting the Local Development Plan’s aim to deliver 2,821 additional homes by 2031.
It also said that the development would contribute towards the provision of affordable houses, as the site would continue to be managed by a registered social landlord (Merthyr Valleys Homes) and that it would also enable an otherwise redundant site to be brought back into beneficial use.
The development would use the existing highway network as the main means of access to the site and there would be 10 off-street parking spaces along the northern boundary of the site, which would be accessed from Pontycapel Road.
A total of 20 parking spaces would also be provided at the southern part of the site which would form a small car park off Wern Road and there would also be four disabled parking spaces.
There would be pedestrian access through the site and a central communal area between the two buildings, where the main entrances into the flats are located.
There would be grassed areas including wild flower species and rain gardens and there would also be trees planted.
The proposal also includes a sub-station, an air source heat pump and refuse points.
There were no representations received during the public consultation on the application.
In recommending approval, planning officers, said in their report: “It would be of an appropriate design that integrates well with its surroundings and improves the overall quality of the area.
“The proposal would not give rise to a significant adverse impact on the neighbouring properties and would have an acceptable impact on the local highway network.
“The development would also deliver much needed affordable housing.”
Councillor Clive Tovey said the building has been an eyesore for the past two years.
He said that everyone was moved out two years ago and they were expecting things to happen sooner, adding that the quicker it gets going the better.
