Home plan approved for Ysgol Carmel

Planners have green lighted the conversion of a former Gwynedd primary school into a private house.
In 2015 Ysgol Groeslon, Ysgol Carmel and Ysgol Bronyfoel all closed to make way for a multi-million pound area school on a site in Groeslon.
The £4.8m Ysgol Bro Llifon, welcome its first pupils in September of that year despite long running battles in Carmel and y Fron to keep their village schools open.
But the former Ysgol Carmel has now been authorised to be turned into a three bedroom home after Gwynedd Council planning officers gave it the go-ahead.
The retrospective application – meaning that work had already taken place before the application was submitted – was approved after no objections were submitted during the formal consultation phase.
“The former classrooms will be used as bedrooms and a living room, and the kitchen will stay in the same spot,” notes the officers’ report.
“The application was advertised on the site and nearby residents were informed and no opposition was received.
“The proposal involves converting the school into a self-contained unit.
“The works are mainly internal alterations with no change to the external appearance of the building.”
The plans were approved by planning offficers without the need to go in front of councillors.
The Design and Access Statement accompanying the application, went on to note: “There is little or no increased environmental impact.
“In fact, the change of use from a public use building, i.e. a school, to a private residential building, will result in a lessor environmental impact from movement to, from and within the development.
“There is no external building work to be carried out other than ongoing maintenance work. The shape of the existing building remains unchanged.”

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter