Former college campus could be transformed into 130 social homes
Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter
Plans have been submitted to transform a former college campus in south Wales into 134 social homes.
The former Coleg Gwent base, at Blaendare Road in Cwmynyscoy, Pontypool, has been allocated as a potential housing site in Torfaen Borough Council’s local development plan since 2013.
An application for planning permission for 134 homes was last week submitted to the council’s planning department.
The former college is one of a number of brownfield sites allocated for housing in the development plan with work having recently started on 143 new homes at the former County Hall site in Croesyceiliog and permission is in place for housing at the former police training college in Cwmbran.
Coleg Gwent initially closed its Pontypool base in 2020 and it was used as a Covid vaccination centre during the pandemic. It was briefly brought back into use for some construction apprenticeships before formally closing in summer 2023 while the main building had also been used by Gwent Police for dog training.
Housing association Hedyn, which was formed through the merger of Melin Homes and Newport City Homes, has submitted the planning application for 134 homes on the site, which is to the south of Pontypool.
Race AFC’s football pitch which is part of the 5.5 hectare site will be retained in the plans which also includes a proposed new changing room and parking area for the sports pitch.
It is also proposed to demolish 107 Blaendare Road, which is in Hedyn’s ownership, to create an access to the proposed new estate while an existing wide access at the north western side will be retained as another key access into the site.
It is proposed the new housing will face the football pitch which is to the north of the site and mainly separated from Blaendare Road by the college buildings which are to be demolished.
Most of the 134 homes would be flats with 39 one-bedroom flats with a shared access and 26 one-bedroom “walk up” flats while there would be 32 two-bedroom houses and 23 three-bedroom homes along with nine four-bedroom houses and five two-bedroom bungalows.
A statement submitted with the application describes the site as benefiting from “easy pedestrian access to local facilities via the existing road and footpath network” while a bus serving Blaendare Road runs to the centre of Pontypool.
It says the applicants intend to develop “low carbon social housing” and provide tenants “with the best possible living environment”.
The plans are being considered by the planning department.
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