Former government offices could become 37 affordable flats

Nation.Cymru staff

Former government offices could be turned into 37 affordable flats for people waiting for permanent homes under plans to reduce a council’s reliance on hotels and bed and breakfasts.

Cyngor Gwynedd’s planning committee will consider the proposed conversion of the Crown Building at Penrallt Uchaf in Caernarfon on Monday 16 November. Planning officers have recommended approval, subject to a favourable response from Welsh Water.

The plans include 25 one-bedroom flats, 10 two-bedroom flats and two three-bedroom flats. Office space on the ground floor and in the basement would be retained for a housing advice hub serving tenants and other Gwynedd residents.

The planning report says the flats would provide “stable housing for people waiting for permanent housing”. It says the scheme would meet an urgent need and give the council an alternative to placing people in hotels and B&Bs.

The conversion is part of a wider effort by Cyngor Gwynedd to find more suitable temporary accommodation. The council bought three other buildings in Bangor and Caernarfon during 2025–26. Its annual housing report said 91 people had benefited from homes it leases, while a supported housing scheme on Bangor High Street has space for 12 people.

The council said the number of people in emergency accommodation fell between April 2025 and January 2026 before rising again in February and March. It placed 67 households in emergency accommodation in March alone.

Caernarfon Town Council’s planning committee backed the application in principle, saying it “meets an urgent need for accommodation locally”. It also asked for nearby residents’ concerns about parking, privacy and disruption during construction to be taken into account.

The planning committee is due to meet at 1pm on Monday.