PLANS to convert a former Powys County Council library into a college campus have been given the thumbs up by Bannau Brycheiniog planners.

Last year Neath Port Talbot group of Colleges (NPTC) lodged a listed building consent planning application to convert the Grade II listed former Brecon County Library on Ship Street with Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority.

Bannau Brycheiniog is the local planning authority for this part of Powys.

The library was opened by the Prince of Wales in 1969 and was designated as a listed building by the Welsh Government’s historic environment service Cadw in 2011.

It was seen as historically important as it was designed using new post 1945 architectural ideas on design including influences from Scandinavia for more open space and moved away from the “solid and ornate” institutional looking buildings.

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Principal planning officer Lisa Hughes said:  “This is a striking town centre civic building.

“Brecon library is an outstanding example of innovative functional modern design in an historic setting, exemplifying the brave new design era of the 1960s.”

She said that the proposal at the “outset” would have caused “substantial harm” to the character and significance of the building.

But, during the course of this application Ms Hughes explained the scheme has been revised a number of times.

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Areas that posed problems were on the upper ground floor and balancing the needs of the proposed teaching classrooms with the special open space characteristics of the building.

Ms Hughes continued: “This is a finely balanced application and one that has included considerable negotiation and compromise from all parties.

“The building, unused since 2019 has not been brought forward for any other alternative use.

“The building was in decline prior to the departure of the library and the deterioration that it has undergone since becoming vacant is evident and only likely to get worse.”

“The applicants are willing to spend a great deal of money to repair, convert and maintain the building.”

She added that relocating the college campus to the library could also see more money being spent in Brecon town centre by students and staff.

This would be seen as a “positive impact” for the vitality and viability of the retail centre.

Ms Hughes said: “On balance, the identified cumulative harm to the listed building is outweighed by the social and economic benefits, and the positive benefits to secure the buildings future that the works and re-use would bring.”

Due to this she approved the plans.

In May 2022 Powys County Council announced that they had struck a deal for NPTC to buy both the library and Watton Mount in the town.

The deal is supposed to allow NPTC Group of Colleges to relocate its Brecon Beacons College into the town centre for a ‘university feel’ campus.