Disused social club to be transformed into restaurant, shop and takeaway

A DISUSED social club that has been hit by vandals will be brought back into use as restaurant or takeaway and shop. 
The two-storey building with two bars and a game’s room, has been vacant since closing in either 2018 or 2019, while its freehold was advertised for £275,000 from early 2022 to 2023 and failed to attract buyers. 
Torfaen Borough Council has now granted change of use planning permission for the Trevethin and Penygarn Sports and Social Club in Folly Lane in Trevethin, Pontypool. 
It has also approved some alternations to the building including new windows and doors as well as the removal of an extension and a portable building that previously had permission for use as a bookmakers. 
The plans also include retaining permission for the club’s first floor function room and its D2 planning use class that covers assembly and leisure use such as concert halls or indoor sports. 
The existing 39 space car park will also be retained and electric vehicle charging stations will also be provided along with two cycle stores, one of which would be covered. 
Planning officer Simon Pritchard said in his report: “The local planning authority have been made aware there has been increased vandalism of the vacant building and thus bringing it back into use with an acceptable use could only enhance the area.” 
More than 40 letters in support of the application were submitted along with two objections that included concern at the loss of a community facility, and that the retention of the one room wouldn’t be a “comparable replacement”, concerns over access, which will remain from Folly Road, and traffic impact. It was also claimed a “proliferation of retail units within the area (would be) detrimental to the residents of Trevethin.” 
But Mr Pritchard said due to the size and location of the units a retail impact assessment wasn’t considered necessary and he didn’t consider a further unit able to sell food and drink a “proliferation” and said: “The benefits of bringing this large, vacant building back into use far outweighs any harm that may be caused from the proposed use.” 
The application has been made by Sukhjit Khera  of GK Investments (UK) Limited, which bought the site more than two years ago, but no end users for the units have been identified as yet. 
It has proposed opening hours of 7am to 10pm from Monday to Sunday for the shop unit and the other unit, which would have A3 permission to serve food and drink, would open from 5pm to 11pm Monday to Friday and from 12 noon to 11pm on Saturdays and close at 10pm on Sundays. 
No hours of opening have been specified for the D2 use and its opening would be controlled under the Licensing Act. 
It is also planned to install bird boxes, bat boxes and bee bricks to meet biodiversity requirements, which the council’s ecologist has welcomed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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