Plan to build home in Oldford Cottage garden, is approved

At a meeting on Wednesday, February 24, councillors on Powys County Council’s planning committee discussed an application by Jack Tavernor of Powis Estates, to build a two-storey 150 square metre house at the Grade II listed, Oldford Cottage.

Oldford Cottage is near Welshpool Town Centre and Berriew street car park is next to it.

The application would also create space to park four cars – with three spaces for the new house and one for the cottage.

But to allow access from Oldford lane, part of a historic wall would need to be knocked down.

This was subject to a separate, listed building consent planning application which was also decided at the meeting.

Welshpool Castle, county councillor Phil Pritchard had called the application in front of committee for a decision.

The application had received 85 objections and only one message of support.

At the meeting, Cllr Pritchard argued that the access to the site which goes through Oldford Estate would increasing the amount of traffic in an area which includes sheltered housing.

He wanted to see the application deferred so that a site meeting could take place.

This would allow councillors to better understand the access problems to the site.

Agent, Doug Hughes, of Hughes Architects, explained that around a year ago a similar planning application was refused, and lessons had been learnt from that process.

He explained that the new design was for a smaller building so that it would not affect Oldford Cottage’s “considerable charm.”

Mr Hughes said: “Originally, we anticipated coming in from Berriew street car park to access this site.”

But this idea had to be changed with access no coming along Oldford Lane which comes off the housing estate there.

Mr Hughes said: “It will need the removal of part of a wall, but this wall itself is in particularly poor shape.

“And the idea here is to rebuild it to its original height, so that it does broadly enhance the conservation area itself.”

Mr Hughes added that he was “surprised” at the number of objections to the applications, and believed they were “historical.”

He said that adding car parking to the site was an improvement as the residents currently park on nearby lanes.

Cllr Hywel Lewis said: “I’m glad to see the parking spaces inside the new area, I see this as an infill plot which lends itself for development.

“As far as the wall is concerned, I do view that as a great improvement, and it will ensure it’s existence.

“It looks in a pretty sorry state now, some of it will be removed but it will enhance the rest of it.”

A motion to approve the application was put forward by Cllr David Price and seconded by Cllr Lewis, and was approved unanimously.

The listed building consent to “remove” part of the wall to allow access to the site was also approved unanimously.