Eyesore listed department store could be sold at auction

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A listed former department store and prominent vacant building in a conservation area that became a cannabis factory could be sold at auction. 

A plan to redevelop the grade-II listed former Co-operative department store in Commercial Street, Pontypool which was built in the art deco style in the 1938, before becoming a branch of the discount chain Hyper Value in the 1980s, was approved by council planners in June 2023. 

Despite permission being in place to divide the ground floor into new retail units and use of the upper floors as a clothing factory and offices the building has remained unused with no development having taken place. 

The building, once considered one of Pontypool’s grandest stores, has been branded an “eyesore”, and recently highlighted to councillors as an example of a stagnant town centre economy in need of support. 

In November 2020 police found 581 cannabis plants, worth £374,000, growing inside tended to by a homeless Iraqi asylum seeker who a judge said it wasn’t even clear was being financially rewarded. 

When the application to bring the building back into use was made in 2023 Torfaen Borough Council planning officer Simon Prichard stated: “The building has been vacant for a number of years, has fallen into a state of disrepair and is currently an eyesore within the town.”

Current owner Waseem Mohammed, who applied for the planning permission approved in 2023, has since sought to sell the building. It was listed for auction, with Cardiff agents Seel and Co with a guide price of £145,000 but didn’t sell at its October auction. 

The firm said it hopes to conclude negotiations with an interested bidder but if the sale isn’t agreed the building will again be available at its online December 9 auction. 

According to the auctioneers the owners are no longer progressing with the plans approved in 2023 at the building at 35 Commercial Street and put the building up for sale. 

When the 2023 application was originally approved the council’s planning department had wrongly stated redevelopment was supported by the Levelling Up Fund application led by Torfaen Borough Council. 

That error came to light after a decision to approve the planning application was reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. An explanatory note was added to the report to explain the error and the “reference to public funding carried no weight in the determination of the application”. 

The note written by the council’s principle planner Huw Roberts stated 35 Commercial Street had been considered as part of the bid for UK Government regeneration funding but discounted as there were “stronger advanced” projects. 

Mr Roberts’ note stated the council would “continue to work with the owner to realise beneficial occupation of the property, although, there is no public funding attributed at this time.” 

Most recently councillors considering a plan to boost the economies of Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent, which includes identifying and promoting the unique qualities of each town centre, were told action on empty shops is required in Pontypool. 

Christina Harrhy, who is the acting director of economy for both authorities, said Pontypool town centre has a lot of empty properties, with many in private ownership.

She highlighted 35 Commercial Street as a long term vacant building that had been subject to discussions when she previously worked for the council 15 years ago.