Plans unveiled to demolish scout hall for new homes

PLANS to demolish a building used by a scout group in Porthcawl and replace it with 10 homes will go before councillors on the local authority’s planning committee on Thursday.

The application by Valleys to Coast Housing is for six two-bedroom semi-detached properties and four one-bedroom flats on the site of Woodland Hall in Woodlands Avenue.

Permission was refused in 2016 for a similar scheme over design concerns and a lack of information justifying the loss of the community facility.

The housing association has now revised the plans, altering the design of the proposed buildings and negotiated a relocation for Porthcawl Scout Group to a nearby church hall in Woodland Avenue.

Planning officers are recommending the plans for approval subject to conditions.

But the application has sparked numerous objections from residents with concerns over the loss of a community asset, the loss of green space and fears the new home for the scouts might not happen.

The scout hall is used as a youth club during school term and as a polling station.

Ward councillor Brian Jones has objected on grounds of an intensification of building, loss of a community facility and highway issues.

Planning officers say the proposal represents “an appropriate and compatible form of infill residential development” and would provide “much needed” affordable housing in Porthcawl.

If approved by councillors, Valleys to Coast would need to enter into an agreement to ensure Woodland Hall is not demolished until the Scouts have relocated to their new base.

Woodland Hall and the land it sits on is owned by Valleys to Coast which leases it to the scouts.

To aid the development proposal Valleys to Coast is planning to purchase the leasehold of Gilgal Baptist Church hall in Woodland Avenue.

The hall is currently used by a couple of community organisations.

Gilgal Baptist Church’s main site is in Park Avenue.

Porthcawl Town Council has no objections to the plans.