Five houses could be built on former workmen’s club site in Cwmbran

Five houses could be built on the site of a former workmen’s club that closed nearly 20 years ago. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Upper Cwmbran Workmen’s Club in Graig Road, Cwmbran , which was also known as the Cheery Tree Club, has been demolished since it closed in March 2005, and all that remains is the 200 metre square concrete slab on which the club stood. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The club was built into the side of the slope below the single carriageway Graig Road and overlooks homes in Oldbridge Court. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Khalid Ashraf, of Llantarnam, has applied to Torfaen Borough Council for planning permission to build five homes on the site in Upper Cwmbran. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

According to information submitted as part of the application the development would be of four semi-detached homes and one detached house all with gardens and parking spaces. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The existing access from Graig Road would be retained and improved, with turning heads provided at the north and southern ends. Areas of existing landscaping and woody vegetation will be retained as far as practicable, with new planting also planned. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Five deceased ash trees are set to be removed but a tree report, written on behalf of the applicant, says it is believed the development can be completed without “unacceptable harm” to the health of trees on the site and the “balance of tree cover can be improved” due to those planted to replace the ash trees. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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