Powys County Council wants to build 16 flats in the county’s second biggest town, Ystradgynlais.

The council’s principal engineer, Simon Kendrick, has applied to demolish four blocks that each containing six flats at the Ael y Bryn housing estate in the town.

Ael y Bryn housing estate Ystradgynlais
Ael y Bryn housing estate in Ystradgynlais (Google Street View)

After the demolition work is completed Mr Kendrick wants to construct four buildings which will have 16 “walk up-style flats”.

These flats would have a floor area of 53 square metres and the buildings are proposed have a maximum height of eight metres to the ridge.

The new scheme would occupy the same area as the existing buildings with car parking and gardens also factored into the proposal.

Louise Evans from the council’s engineering design services explained the proposal in a design and access statement.

Ms Evans said: “The application site is located on an existing residential estate at the northern end of Ystradgynlais.

“The site is part of a large residential estate developed as social housing in the 1970s.”

Ms Evans explains that the majority of houses on the estate are still owned and managed by the council.

Ms Evans said: “It has been identified that the majority of the blocks of two-bedroom flats within this part of the estate are not meeting the needs of residents within the area, where there is otherwise a significant demand for other forms of accommodation.”

Ms Evans said that in 2022 more than half of the household registered on the council’s housing list require one bedroom accommodation.

Ms Evans said: “Whilst there are two-bedroom properties available, the ‘Bedroom Tax’ often makes them unaffordable to those in need and they are not being fully used.”

Ms Evans said that “reconfiguring” the existing flats had been considered but the new proposal provides, “best value for money."

Ms Evans said: “The vision for the development is to provide high-quality, well-designed housing units to better meet the needs of Powys residents and to take the opportunity to regenerate the estate which is located in the most deprived area in Powys.”

A decision by Powys planners is expected by June 12.