Plans submitted to convert former poultry sheds into a care home

Saul Cooke-Black, local democracy reporter

Plans to convert former poultry sheds in Monmouthshire into a care home, which were previously approved 13 years ago but never built, have been re-submitted to the county council.

The proposed scheme for the site at Llanellen Court, just outside the village of Llanellen near Abergavenny, proposes upgrading the redundant sheds into a residential care home.

A planning statement says the proposed care home will provide “a quiet environment” with no impact on homes in Llanellen.

“There is a strong demand in the Abergavenny area for up-to-date modern dementia care for the elderly,” a planning statement says. “There are no purpose-built facilities in the catchment area.”

Works to the floors, walls, roof, windows and doors are proposed to upgrade and transform the three buildings which were last in use as poultry sheds in 2002-2003.

Objections

In 2009 the Welsh Government advised refusal of the scheme due to concerns over the previously proposed access road, while local residents signed a petition objecting to the plans.

Despite this, plans for the care home scheme were approved, but planning permission subsequently expired after five years as the scheme did not progress.

Since then, a new 7.1-metre-wide access road has been built, including a footpath link between the site and the A4042.

The new road access junction has been inspected and approved by the Welsh Government, according to the planning application.

Similar project

Two of the sheds are of timber frame construction, while the third is made of steel portal frames.

The planning application shows photos of a similar agricultural building Llancayo Court in Usk, which has also been converted for use.

It says this shows how this type of conversion can achieve “a very pleasant standard of accommodation”.

Monmouthshire council will consider the plans in the coming months.