LAND that forms part of a car park in Brecon, will be sold by Powys County Council for £200,000, so that a £15 million scheme to provide homes for older people can be built there.
On Thursday, April 10 Liberal Democrat cabinet members, planning portfolio holder Cllr Jake Berriman and adult social care Sian Cox will take a joint delegated decision to sell part Watton Street Car Park to Wales and West Housing Association (WWHA).
This will allow the development of an Extra Care housing facility with day care centre to be built at the Roy Hatton Car Sales site on Free Street, which is next to the car park.
The report said: “The land has been declared surplus and the procedure outlined in the corporate asset policy in relation to the sale of surplus property has been complied with.
“Additionally, the land was valued by the Valuation Office Agency on September 25, 2024, at a market value of £200,000.”
An extra £50,000 will be “commuted” which will be used by the council to maintain three trees and to bushes which will be planted at an “agreed” position with WWHA at the nearby bus station.
The report explains that if the land is not sold to the housing association, then the development would need to be shrunk and could even be put in jeopardy.
This could see the loss of “five to seven units” which would see rising costs levied on future residents.
A “dementia friendly garden” which is part of the scheme could also be lost.
The worst case scenario mentioned in the report is that WWHA would not go ahead with the scheme and would need to sell the site to “recoup” their costs.
County councillors for Brecon East, Cllrs Liz Rijnenberg and Christ Walsh (both Labour) said: “We are content with the proposal to sell the area land.
“We have been assured that the sale of the extra land was included within the original planning application.
“We will monitor with interest the development of this scheme, in particular, the plan to include a day care centre, which we strongly support.”
The decision is set to come into force next week following a five day period which allows councillors the opportunity of calling in the decision for scrutiny.
Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority is in charge of planning in this part of Powys.
Plans for the 66 apartment extra care facility was agreed by members of the Bannau Brycheiniog Planning committee a year ago.
In doing this they went against the advice of their planning officers.
In July, a holding direction was issued by Welsh Government planners, but by August they had decided not to call in the proposal and take over the decision making process.
This allowed the permission to come into force.
Extra care facilities are for people over 65 years old and is supposed to provide independent living with on-site care and support.
It is hoped the facility will open in 2027.
