“Eyesore” social club demolition a step closer

A long term “eyesore” is a step closer to being knocked down and replaced by affordable housing.
Beaumaris’ derelict sports and social club has been  a cause of concern for community leaders for several years, described as “unsafe” and “detrimental to the image of the town”.
But meeting on Wednesday, members of Anglesey Council’s Planning Committee approved a plan put forward by its housing department to demolish the site in order to make way for six one bedroom apartments.
The facility on on Steeple Lane, Beaumaris has lain empty for several years, leading to calls from Beaumaris Town Council in 2011 for the local authority to step in and  secure the building.
Such concerns were accelerated after reports of youths entering the former club and vandalising the property, but efforts to find a resolution were frustrated while the county council was experiencing “difficulties in identifying its ownership.”
When submitting the application in November, the authority described the building as “fast approaching a state of disrepair” and “rapidly becoming an eyesore that can be seen from various surrounding buildings.”
Its expected, now that planning permission is in place, that an application will be made in due course for the council Executive to authorise such action to be taken.
The possibility of acquiring a compulsory purchase order was not ruled out in order to carry out the work, which will see the demolition of the existing dilapidated building and clearing the remainder of the overgrown site to build the new three- storey building.
Eventually, the authority plans to rent out the apartments to those primarily with a local connection to Beaumaris but possibly extended to the wider Seiriol ward.
“IoACC see this to be an opportunity to add to their social housing stock which not only contributes to answering the housing need within the area but also secures a viable future use for the site, the existing building on which is quickly becoming dilapidated and is therefore in a potentially dangerous state of disrepair.”
A spokesperson added, “The scheme will be an intermediate rental option for local people who are not in a position to buy a home for various reasons, such as insufficient deposit or a poor credit history.
“It will be aimed at people in employment and not totally dependent on benefits and the rent will be based on a Local Housing Allowance or 80% of the open market rents.”

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter