Vision for listed pub and hotel site
Apartments and shops planned for Aberdare town centre site
A LISTED former hotel and pub in the heart of Aberdare could soon be converted into a large shop and 12 flats.
The old Boot Hotel in Victoria Square was sold at auction in December 2015, with its new owner David Edwards revealing his vision for apartments at the Grade II listed town centre site in January this year.
Now applicant Teds Developments is seeking planning permission to change the old hotel’s use and to refurbish and convert the vast building – including the conversion of the existing IQ Clothing shop on part of the ground floor of the building, which forms the corner of Victoria Square and Market Street.
The plans will be discussed as two separate applications at the council’s development control committee on Thursday evening and both items are recommended for approval.
The whole of the bottom floor could be converted into a modern full-length shop while one-bedroom and twobedroom flats will be built on the top two floors.
All flats would be accessed by a separate entrance to the upper storeys in Victoria Square.
Apart from IQ Clothing the building is empty and was last used as a pub. It has 16 former bedrooms, a function room, and an old bar and games room.
In a report before Thursday’s meeting, Rhondda Cynon Taf council’s service director for planning said: “It is considered desirable to find a new use for this listed building to both secure its long term future and to improve the surrounding physical environment and thus contribute to the ongoing regeneration of Aberdare town centre.
“The key considerations in achieving this are whether this proposal for the conversion of the building can be accommodated without adversely impacting on the important features of the listed building, its setting, and the conservation area.
“It is considered that the impacts in this respect are acceptable and therefore it is recommended that planning permission is granted.”