Councillors postpone decision on flats application for village
A decision on plans for a building to be converted into a block of flats in Llandrinio, near Oswestry, has been postponed due to eleventh-hour questions being raised over ownership of the land.
Powys County Council’s planning committee had been expected to make a decision on June 16 over plans by Charanjit Singh to convert Unity House into 15 one-bedroom apartments, two two-bedroom apartments and three studio apartments.
The application had been “called in” to the committee for a decision by Llandrinio county councillor Lucy Roberts, who has “major concerns” about the project.
Llandrinio Community Council had also objected to the proposal over its size and scale and has indicated that it wants a representative to speak on its behalf at the meeting.
At the meeting principal planning officer Gemma Bufton said: “Unfortunately some 15 minutes before the meeting started I received an email which is challenging parts of the land ownership and whether the appropriate notices have been served on the property,
“On that basis, given that without those notices being served we would be unable to determine the application.
“I am asking that it is deferred today and it will come back before you once we’ve ensured that all facts have been ironed out and the appropriate notices are served.”
The proposal to postpone the decision making process was unanimously approved by councillors.
Unity House was last used as a bed and breakfast around 15 years ago, and in 2008 planning permission was given to convert it into a care home that could accommodate 44 people. This planning permission is still in existence although it was never implemented.
