Planners to consider scheme to demolish former senior citizens’ club in Holyhead

Planners will consider a scheme to demolish a former senior citizens’ welfare club in Holyhead amid plans to develop two ‘affordable’ homes.
Anglesey County Council has received an outline application for the demolition of the pensioners’ club building on London Road.
The proposal also seeks permission for the erection of two affordable dwellings, together with the construction of a new vehicular access and parking area on the land.
The vacant club site was last used in 2019.
The applicant is listed as Mr Peter Bagri through the agent Dafydd Edwards of Cynllun Plans Drawn.
The planning documents state the proposal would see the provision of two three bedroom homes .
The plans note that the Isle of Anglesey County Council’s Planning Policy
Department had confirmed there was a shortfall of 59, in housing provision for
Holyhead.”
In a protected species report and preliminary bat roost assessment a site visit was described.
It states: “The site comprises of a dilapidated building that was the former Senior Citizens’ Welfare Centre on London Road, Holyhead.
“The building has an asbestos roof the condition of which made internal access not possible due to the risk.
“The rest of the plot comprises of access steps and lift, former close cut lawned garden that has not been managed for a couple of years, with boundary walls, fences and hedges.
“There are no substantial trees in close proximity to the proposed development except for a large, poor form elder and a eucalyptus to the rear of the building.
There is a privet hedge along the boundary to the East with a large flowering currant from the neighbouring property encroaching on the Western side.
The proposed development is surrounded on two sides by residential dwelling with the Gwynedd Shipping Depot to the rear and London Road to the North.
There were “No sign of current or past use by bats recorded on the exterior of the dwelling” although it pointed out that “internal access was not possible due to health and safety concerns over the asbestos roof.”
The report concluded:
“The lack of access points in the roof and tight windows and doors means there is negligible potential for bats to be roosting in the building.
“The survey area and immediate surrounds is considered to provide low suitability foraging and commuting habitat for bat species due to the well-lit urban setting and lack of connecting habitat and suitable foraging habit.”
All external surfaces and potential access points were investigated.
Although the timing of an ecological survey was outside of the bird nesting season “no current evidence of nesting birds was recorded on areas affected by the proposed development.
“There was also “potential” for birds utilising sections of the property during nesting season.
The report stated: “This development is very unlikely to impact on protected or notable species.”
If necessary, the plans proposed mitigation measures including the use of Swift Nesting Bricks.
It also advised if the proposed work was not undertaken within 24 months from the date of this assessment, a repeat survey would need to be carried out due to the “potential for deterioration of the roof structure and the creation of potential roost features.”
The scheme has yet to be decided.

By Dale Spridgeon – Local Democracy Reporter