Former Pub in Abertillery Denied Planning Permission for Reopening as Public House

BLAENAU Gwent planners have explained why plans to turn a former pub in Abertillery back into a public house were refused under delegated powers.
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday, January 11, the planning application for Penndragon on Oak Street in Abertillery was brought up for discussion.
This is while councillors received information on the list of applications in the county borough that were decided by planning officers using delegated powers between October 26 and December 17 last year.
In September, an application was made by a Mr or Ms Lewis, with David Glasson Planning Limited acting as the planning agents.
This was to change the use of the building from a vacant support facility to a public house with rooms for let.
This application was refused by planners in November.
The care facility had closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cllr Lee Parson said: “There’s been a lot of negative talk on social media about the council and the refusal of this application.
“Can we just lay it to bed why it was turned down so we can get the correct information out there to the public.”
Planning development team manager Steph Hopkins explained:  “I know this has historically been a pub for a long long time.
“But it hasn’t been a pub for around 10 years, it’s been a supported care facility.
“That was done via planning permission to change the use from a pub to this support facility.
“So that pub use was lost when they implemented the planning permission.
“We feel to reintroduce a pub use in that area when it is adjoined by residential properties to the side and back would cause unacceptable issues of noise and disturbance for residents and it’s not in the town centre.”
Cllr Julie Holt asked if there were objections from the public about the application.
Cllr Holt said: “The concern in the town is that it will be left empty or turned into a HM0 (House of Multiple Occupation).
“I didn’t receive any objections, the only thing I have had is aggro about the fact it has not been allowed.”
Mrs Hopkins confirmed that the council had received objections against the proposal but they “weren’t a lot” during the consultation process.
Mrs Hopkins said that the applicant could still lodge an appeal with Welsh Government planning inspectors against the decision and added that Blaenau Gwent planning officers had been “in discussions” with the agent over the refusal.
Cllr Parsons hoped that now the details of the refusal had been explained in public: “people would stop having a go at the council.”
Councillors noted all the delegated planning decision. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​