A planning application to build 16 bungalows on the site of a former school in Welshpool will be considered next week.

Powys County Council have confirmed that plans that would see bungalows built on the site of the former Gungrog Church in Wales Nursey and Infant School in Welshpool, will be considered by the council’s Planning, Taxi Licensing & Rights of Way Committee on Thursday, June 27.

The development includes demolishing the school building to make way for highly-insulated and eco-friendly bungalows.

Matt Perry, Powys County Council's Chief Officer – Place, said: “One of the priorities of the council is to tackle the housing emergency in the county and this can be achieved by building high quality council housing. This development in Welshpool will be important as we look to meet this priority.

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“This is an exciting development that will provide high-quality, well-designed housing units to better meet the needs of Powys residents.”

The application was first validated in January 2024, with the proposal including 12 one-bedroom bungalows as well as an additional four two-bedroom bungalows.

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The proposal was prepared on behalf of Powys County Council Housing Services, having expressed an interest in acquiring the site to develop affordable council homes for local people in 2023, when the school was declared surplus and all services within Powys County Council were asked whether they had any use for this property.

If planning permission is granted, the new homes will be owned and managed by the council and allocated to tenants through ‘Homes in Powys’ – which the council hopes will serve as “the one stop shop for all social housing in the county”.

Within the original application, they added: “The proposed development presents an opportunity for Powys County Council to deliver much needed affordable housing provision in a highly sustainable brownfield location, on land north of Welshpool’s town centre.