Former police station set to be turned into council flats

Lewis Smith, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to turn a former local police station into affordable flats have been handed in to the local council.

If approved they could eventually see the site of the former Skewen police station based in New Road, Skewen, Neath Port Talbot converted in to a block of eight flats.

The large three-storey building is located around two miles away from the town of Neath in a largely residential part of the village of Skewen.

Once completed the proposal says six of the new homes would contain one bedroom alongside another two that would contain two bedrooms.

These would be used to provide 100% affordable flats for the area.

The refurbished building would also feature a total of seven residential parking spaces at the front of the property in New Road, as well as a communal refuse area, bike storage, and a drying area.

The plans say: “The proposed development will introduce residential development within an existing building which has a use similar to office accommodation.

“As such it is considered that levels of privacy enjoyed by existing residents is unlikely to change significantly given the nature of the existing use and the orientation of existing windows.”

They add: “The proposal will not entail any extension and alteration will be limited to minor changes to some elevations and internal works.”

Some of these changes would include putting in replacement windows and doors at the site as well as new external decorative cladding.

The property is located less than a mile away from the well-used Skewen Park, which has recently been at the centre of discussion for residents over its use for children’s football.

The application for the change of use at the former police station was submitted to Neath Port Talbot Council’s planning department by Robert Bowen Planning & Development Ltd in March.

It will now be considered for approval by officers over the coming months.