Application to turn business unit into teaching space refused

Plans to legitimise the conversion of a business unit into a classroom have been refused by planners.

Earlier this year, Ben Rawlence of the Black Mountains College lodged a retrospective planning application with Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority to change the use of Unit Five on Talgarth Business Park from B1 manufacturing and workshop use to D1 teaching space use.

The application form indicates that the unit has been used as a teaching space without the required planning permission since September 1, 2024.

Planning agent Matt Tompkins of Tompkins Thomas planning explained the proposal in a planning statement.

Mr Tompkins said: “The building is located at the south-west edge of the town, to the immediate west of the A479.

“It occupies the western-most plot, which is triangular in shape, of the small business park.

“Unit Five is presently used by Black Mountains College for the educational use proposed here, whereby the application is retrospective.

“The building was previously occupied by Knowles and Christou, an interior design company, and was used as a workshop for the creation of furniture.

“Students carry out mainly woodworking practical lessons.

“The building is well equipped to facilitate such a use, it previously comprising a manufacturing use.

“The large central open plan room continues to be used as the main workshop and teaching space, whilst the smaller room to the south-west end of the building is used as a smaller workshop.

“The office at the north-east end of the building remains an office and is also used as teaching space.”

Mr Tompkins conceded that the development is not a “traditional employment” use of the building but pointed out that it is an “employment generating use.”

He explained that the college employs 30 people, with 19 full-time equivalent (FTE) roles, and that this proposal would help increase the numbers to 36 people and 25 FTE roles.

Unable to support 

Talgarth Town Council discussed the application at a meeting in February and said they would be “unable” to support the application as it would mean the loss of an employment site.

Talgarth council said: “The council would like to see evidence that an appropriate exercise has been carried out to determine that the building is not suitable for B1 use; including open marketing of the property at a fair market rate for a period of 12 months.”

In her report, planning officer Lisa Williams said: “No compelling evidence is submitted as part of the application to demonstrate the availability of alternative employment premises or that an ongoing employment use on the site would not be appropriate.

“Neither is marketing information or further details of other efforts/enquiries made by the applicant to seek a continued employment use at the site provided.”

Ms Williams recommended refusing the application and said: “The supporting information submitted does not provide sufficient evidence to justify the loss of a B-Class unit on a safeguarded employment site.”