Plans put forward for flats above former town solicitors

Two floors of vacant office space in the town centre could be converted into residential accommodation.

An application put forward by CB Architectural Design proposes that the first and second floors of 31 High Street are turned into six flats.

It is also proposed that the ground floor office space – which was previously home to Thomas Andrew and Partners – is also revamped.

The property itself was listed in 1994 due to being a part of an “important group of commercial buildings on the High Street”.

A brief history of the building is provided within the application’s design and access statement, which adds: “Local historian AN Palmer first noted a building on this site, but the present building was rebuilt with the Overton Arcade in 1868.

“It was probably intended as a shop with accommodation above, and was previously used as offices with the building now being vacant.

“During the 1980s the building was occupied by a branch of the Bank of Wales and the last occupant was Thomas Andrew and Partners Solicitors.”

As part of the planned redevelopment it is noted that that “non of the proposed works will adversely affect the fabric or appearance of the building” – with accessibility to the side and front entrances remaining unaltered.

Externally re-roofing works would take place along with new winds at the side and rear elevations of the building.

Documents submitted with the application provide details of the proposed interior of the first and second floors, which will consist of a mixture of one and two bedroom flats.

The ground floor will be retained for office use and would include the removal of a modern partitioning to create an open plan space.

A section of the ground floor would also be sectioned off to provide bin and bike storage for the flats.

The application will be considered for approval at a later date.