Plans Approved for 66 Apartment Extra Care Facility in Brecon

PLANS for a 66 apartment Extra Care facility in the middle of Brecon have been approved. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This follows a decision by Welsh Government planning inspectors not to call in the proposal and take over the process themselves.
Last year a full planning and conservation area consent applications had been lodged by Powys County Council with Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority (NPA) for the former Roy Hatton Care Sales Site on Free Street.
Bannau Brycheiniog NPA is the planning authority in this part of Powys.
At a meeting in April, members of the of the Bannau Brycheiniog Planning committee approved the scheme, in doing this they went against the advice of their planning officers.
In July, Welsh Government planners issued a holding direction to Bannau Brycheiniog as they decided whether or not to call in the proposal and take over the decision making process.
Within days of issuing the holding direction, Bannau Brycheiniog were contacted again and told they could approve the application.
Welsh Government head of planning casework, Hywel Butts said: “I have given consideration to the issues raised by the application, the contents of the
officer’s report, and all other relevant information.
“Having considered the issues associated with the application, including the effect of the scale of the development on the conservation area, I have concluded the issues are not of more than local importance.
“In view of this, I consider the application should not be called in for
determination by the Welsh Ministers and it is now for your LPA (Local Planning Authority) to determine the application as it sees fit.”
The conservation area consent application as well as a sustainable drainage application also need to be approved before building work can start.
Powys council hope the facility will be open in 2027.
Extra care facilities are for people over 65 years old and is supposed to provide independent living with on-site care and support.
The decision was taken to move ahead with this type of housing  by the Independent/Conservative cabinet in 2019 with projects in Welshpool, Brecon and Ystradgynlais all being mooted.
Since then, the development at Welshpool’s Neuadd Maldwyn is nearing completion while the extension and re-development of Pont Aur in Ystradgynlais is expected to open in November 2025. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​