Powys County Council has approved plans to renovate a Grade II listed cottage dating back to the 16th century.

Plans to renovate Upper Llaneon in Llandrindod Wells, a farmhouse cottage and adjoining barn that reportedly dates back to the 16th century, have been approved by Powys County Council.

The plans have taken over six months to be approved, having been submitted in October 2023 and finally approved on June 10.

Describing the property, Built Heritage Conservation Officer Dr Sam Johnson said: “Upper-Llanneon is an interesting and important survival of a cruck framed hall adapted and changed in the local vernacular. There is little modern intervention, though the stairs have been moved and there are some recent partitions upstairs forming a bathroom.”

OTHER NEWS:

The proposal is to renovate the barn while removing some of the 20th century additions to the cottage, as well as returning the staircase to its original location in the building.

Dr Johnson added in the consultee comment: “In the main house it is proposed to alter the floorplan to see the removal of late 20th century material (mainly plasterboard and insulation).

“The staircase will be returned to where it is believed to have been, and the upstairs layout will again be two rooms. One of these will become a bathroom.

“The proposed new staircase in cleverly done and does not compromise the space. The use of the existing manger as a rail is a way of incorporating existing and important fabric into the conversion in a manner that is unlikely to see it considered a ‘added feature’.”

An ecology report found five species of bat roosting in the building, meaning some protective measures will have to be taken during the renovation work.

The report said: “A total of five different species of bats were recorded using the building for roosting purposes and their emergence point recorded.

“Therefore, the results of the bat activity surveys demonstrates that the existing buildings are confirmed bat roost. The proposed work will be impacting bat by disturbance of destroying known roosts.

“Therefore, a European Protected Species Development Licence will be required to be obtained for the proposed developments prior to work commencing.

“The mitigation measures include timing or works, supervised works, precautionary working methods, creation of bat roosting feature which include the creation of a dedicated bat loft as guidance on the installation of external lighting.”