PLANS to regenerate a Grade II-listed former high street bank in Neath Port Talbot have been approved by the local council.
They could now see work at the former Barclays Bank in Neath town centre for it to be turned in to a new bar and restaurant.
The building is located in The Parade in Neath town centre next to The Castle Hotel and directly opposite the Ambassador Hotel.
It is also just a stone’s throw away from the town’s railway station as well as the well-known Neath General Market.
The three-storey building which was listed in 1989 is currently said to be unoccupied but is described as retaining features “associated with its previous banking function”.
It was highlighted as being “significant for its architectural quality, materials, and its contribution to the historic townscape of Neath” within the submitted plans.
A section of the application said developers were proposing the change of use for the ground floor of the site with the development of a bar and restaurant inside along with a beer garden at the back of the property.
It read: “The proposal involves internal alterations to facilitate the new use and limited external alterations to the rear to provide access and amenity space for patrons.
“No changes are proposed to the upper floors. The site is a Grade II-listed building within the Neath town centre conservation area.”
It added the plans would aim to preserve the special character of the listed building with inside changes limited to fit-out works for the
kitchen and bar areas and no alterations to the front elevation.
The decision to approve the change of use for the site was made by Neath Port Talbot council officers as part of their delegated decisions between December 1, 2025, and January 7, 2026.
They will be presented to council members at a planning committee meeting in January and come after the Neath town centre bank was closed by Barclays in April 2024.
