A FORMER bank is to be brought back into use for the first time since closing six years ago and converted to flats.
Lloyds Bank closed its branch in Hanbury Road, Pontypool in November 2019 and a failure to find new tenants for offices spaces within it has allowed the building to deteriorate.
Owners S & J Real Estate Holdings Limited, who bought the site in 2024, say changes to banking and a lack of demand for office space due to home working have left the grade II listed building in the town’s conservation area “vulnerable to ongoing vacancy and decay”.
Though most of the building will be converted to flats its intended to keep the ground floor former banking hall available for financial and professional services.
The change of use planning permission, some structural repairs and changes to the inside of the building, including fire safety improvements, have been granted planning permission by Torfaen Borough Council’s planning department and listed building consent has also been granted.
A report by planning officer Tom Braithwaite stated six comments supporting the application had been received by the planning department with members of the public describing the former bank as “an attractive building that has fallen into disrepair”, a residential use would “bring life back into an old building” and address critical housing need and boost footfall and support the “vitality” of the town centre.
The application said as well as supporting the upkeep of the THREE storey building and “reinstating” some of its original character air conditioning units, steel bars placed on windows for security and steel fire escapes will be removed from the back of the building.
A heritage report submitted as part of the application said the building, that was listed in 1974, was built between 1875-1878 to the designs of TR Lysaght of Bristol and described as a Victorian Italianate style office block.
The bank was originally constructed for and operated by The West of England and South Wales District Bank, founded in 1834 in Bristol.
Following rapid expansion the bank collapsed in 1878 with the liquidators blaming “imprudent lending”, partly to Welsh Iron companies though the bank’s owners were accused of fraud with a trial at the old Bailey in 1880.
Lloyds Bank took over branches of The West of England and South Wales District Bank in 1892 following its liquidation.
Architect TR Lysaght was also responsible for the headquarters building in Corn Street Bristol.
