Plans to demolish a  dilapidated former bakehouse in Machynlleth and replace it with two bedroom properties have been refused by Powys Council.

On September 19, an application for planning permission to demolish the former bakehouse on Maengwyn Street was refused by Powys County Council, having been withdrawn and re-submitted previously.

A proposal that was first submitted as an application for planning permission in April 2023, only to be withdrawn in January 2024 then re-submitted in March, has now been refused.

The proposal would have seen the dilapidated stone and timber buildings demolished, as well as more recent brick extensions which housed the ovens and equipment for Arvonia bakery, to allow a terrace of three stone faced and timber boarded dwellings for affordable rental to be built.

OTHER NEWS:

According to the planning application: “The vision is to create comfortable, sustainable two bedroomed homes with outdoor amenity space which will be aesthetically pleasing and utilise a neglected town centre site.

“The brief was to utilise the site to create simple but comfortable and attractive living accommodation for an affordable rent.

"Conversion of the existing buildings was considered but due to the advanced state of deterioration plus the amount of the original frontage that had already been removed, in addition to the roof timbers and slates, it was decided that rebuilding would be necessary.”

The application did not receive objections from consultees like the built heritage officer, who said: “The Built Heritage Officer has been consulted on the proposal, and has confirmed that they have no objection to the development subject to the inclusion of a number of conditions.

"These conditions are considered to be appropriate and necessary and would be attached to any granting of consent.”

However, Powys Highways did register an objection, saying in their comment: “It is considered that insufficient information has been provided to establish that the proposal would not have a detrimental impact upon highway safety.”

In their delegated report, Powys County Council concluded: “Having carefully considered the details submitted together with all statutory consultee responses, it is considered that the proposal would not comply with planning policy in that the proposed development fails to demonstrate that there would not be an unacceptable impact upon highway safety.”