Plans Revealed to Convert Oakdale Grocery Shop’s First Floor Into Residential Accommodation

The first floor of a grocery shop in Oakdale could be turned into residential accommodation, new plans show.
The upstairs of Co-operative Food, in Central Buildings, is currently a storage area but could be converted into a three-bedroom flat.
That space will include an “open-plan” space comprising a kitchen, dining and living area.
If the plans are approved, new windows will be installed, and access to the flat will be via an existing entrance at the rear of the shop downstairs.
Applicant Jeyanand Ponnambalam would retain a “small area” for storage on the first floor of the property, plans show.
A design statement submitted on his behalf by agents Glass Cube Design Ltd notes Central Buildings “mostly date from the early days of the creation of Oakdale, between 1909 and 1924”.
The Co-operative building is in the local conservation area, but is “not listed”, according to planning documents.
“Most” other shops in the area “have accommodation on the first floor”, the agents added.
Planning permission was granted in 1997 for a separate application, that time for two flats on the first floor of the building, but the conversion work was never done.
The application can be viewed on the Caerphilly County Borough Council website under reference 24/0014/COU. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​