Powys planning: Concerns over converting shops

Powys County Council has received a planning application asking permission to convert the former Sabrina Travel Shop in Llanidloes' High Street into a single studio holiday let.

The application stated that the Grade II-listed building "needs some renovation and modernisation" with the old shop frontage in poor repair and in need of careful renovation.

Llanidloes Town Council discussed the planning application at their recent full council meeting on Monday, July 22.

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Councillor Trudy Davies, who is also an award-winning town centre businesswoman, shared concerns that "we are going down a sliding slope where all empty shops are going residential".

She added: "Perhaps in future when we do see an upturn there could be a need for commercial premises. It’s a very hard."

County councillor Gareth Morgan said it was "quite unusual" for the council to receive an application to convert a holiday residence, "it didn't used to be".

He added: "Hopefully they [holidaymakers] will be spending money in Llanidloes and bringing their families in town."

Llanidloes town centre.

Another town councillor, Graham McArthur, suggested that it would be "better" converting empty shops on the outskirts of the town where there was "a lessening of demand".

Councillor Margot Jones said the High Street shop, which had been closed for three years, was in "a bit of a mess and probably been for sale for a long, long time."

She added that giving the planning application the go-ahead could improve the building having "spoilt" the row of properties in the street for a number of years.

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In March, the town council gave no objections to plans to convert a former Welsh Computers shop in Short Bridge Street into a home.

Mayor Cllr Jamie Jones said at the time that "people need places to live and it's better than being left empty".

Cllr Davies said she was not against the proposal but raised concerns that the council could be "setting a precedent".