Councillors have approved plans to build 50 new homes in Port Talbot and refurbish 70 existing properties.
Neath Port Talbot Council ’s planning committee has given social housing provider Tai Tarian permission to refurbish six blocks of flats and build an extra 55 flats in Bevin Avenue, Sandfields.
Councillor Dennis Keogh, who represents Port Talbot, said the existing flats have become “very tired-looking” and the development will give residents the chance “to live in something which effectively will be brand new”.
“I remember these flats being built… what an opportunity…and to live by the sea, how wonderful,” he added.
There are currently six three-storey blocks of flats on the 2.4 hectare applications site, one of which is home to the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence. The flats are located south-west of Moorland Road, east of Dalton Road, and to the north and east of Bevin Avenue.
All of the homes on the site will be affordable housing with 25% of them remaining affordable in the future.
Sandfields West representative Suzanne Paddison said: “We are very blessed in Sandfields that we do live by the sea.
“The demand is always there for this type of property and for a social landlord to come forward with so many in one place and also to spring clean the area and make it far more visually acceptable I think is a wonderful thing here.”
Tai Tarian will refurbish the existing 72 two-bedroom flats near Aberavon beach and convert three existing two-bedroom flats to three new one-bedroom flats.
The changes that will be made include adding solar panels, installing new insulation and heating systems, and fitting new windows and box cladding.
An extra 55 homes will also be built on the site comprising one two-bedroom flat and 54 one-bedroom flats.
An extra 92 parking spaces will be created on the site as well as extra bike and bin storage. Tai Tarian will also be required to provide a drying facility for residents on the site either in the form of external drying areas, internal drying facilities, or both.
Cllr Sean Pursey, who represents Sandfields East ward, said he was “sceptical” about the development “at first”, particularly the proposal to build 55 new flats on the site.
“I was a bit concerned and worried about the increased density and any impacts on that but I think anyone who’s familiar with the site and you know, we’ve seen the photographs today, it’s well overdue an upgrade. The buildings are in really poor condition.
“So on balance the improvement of the existing buildings, insulation, energy efficiency measures, improvements to the appearance and everything else I think far outweighs my concerns about the density but I still have some reservations about that.
“I think overall this is going to be a benefit to the area.”
Cllr Rhidian Mizen, who represents Bryn and Cwmavon, said he welcomed the plans for the new development and the existing homes “look tired and are in need of refurbishment”.
As part of the planning conditions Tai Tarian must contribute £75,765 towards tackling a lack of open space in the Sandfields East area.
Tai Tarian submitted a planning application regarding the new homes to the council in November 2020, which received three objections.
One of the objectors later withdrew but the remaining concerns related to issues with privacy from the new blocks looking into residents’ bathrooms, a lack of privacy for the proposed new gardens, disruption caused by construction, traffic congestion, road safety, and sunlight being blocked by the new buildings.
The council’s planning report concludes that refurbishing the existing flats and building new ones “will contribute towards the delivery of affordable housing within the county borough in a sustainable location.
Tai Tarian is seeking grant funding from Welsh Government to support the development.
Councillors approved plans for the development during a meeting on Tuesday, February 23.
The planning report, containing pictures of the new flats, can be found here.
