Planning has been approved to demolish former office buildings at Plas Penrhos on Penrhos Road, Bangor, and build 39 senior living residential apartments for the over 55’s.
The offices, formerly used by the Countryside Council for Wales, has been vacant for several years, and can now be demolished to make way for a 39-flat complex for older people.
The planning application from Adra Housing Association, aims to provide good quality socially rented flats which will be allocated to residents over the age of 55, or to those with disabilities.
The three storey building, covered by solar panels on its roof, will house the over 55s while also providing 31 parking spaces.
The present proposal is for the following mixture of units
Social Rented Homes
18 x 1 Bedrooms 2 Person Apartment
21 x 2 Bedrooms 3 Person Apartments
Adra said there was a demand by people wanting to downsize because of the “bedroom tax” and such a development would allow several older people to downsize while also releasing larger sized housing in the area.
Under the tax, or spare room subsidy, people who receive welfare payments see their housing benefit reduced if they have one or more spare bedrooms.
According to the planning application “Following recent changes to the benefits system, several tenants have suffered due to the bedroom tax because of under occupancy and wish to move to a smaller home,” said the company as part of its application.
“One and two-bedroom properties would assist Adra to better manage its current stock and enable those applicants who wish to move to a smaller home, thus releasing a larger property to other applicants.
“This would also help families on the housing register who require 3 or 4- bedroom homes.”
According to the company, 205 of Adra’s managed properties in Bangor are being under occupied by one bedroom (with at least 76 being over 55 years of age), with 60 being under occupied by two bedrooms (33 being over 55 years of age).
Local councillor Gareth Roberts raised concerns of nearby residents on the “density of the plans” as well as “overlooking” nearby Llys Adda.
Other issues raised were the “very limited” car parking – one allocated space for every unit – and concerns about the volume of traffic on the road leading to Ysbyty Gwynedd.
The plans were approved by Gwynedd Council Planning Committee by nine votes with none against and one abstention.
